The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance
by Mrs.Phineas Bogg
Summary: VA Story 2: A major Time Paradox occurs for the Pioneer team when tragedy strikes Bogg before he was a Voyager. Alternate Universes abound when 18 yr. old Kayla meets 19 yr old Bogg and sparks fly. Voyager Headquarters is overrun by Paradox and 2 Pioneer Voyagers escape to 1983, NYC to find Jeffrey Jones in hopes of fixing the major hiccup in time.
1. A little diversion

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II  
**

**Chapter 1: A little diversion  
**

Kayla Sheppard tilted her head back with a sigh of pleasure, absorbing the warmth and fresh, unpolluted air. The sky was cloudless and the pristine, blue waters lapped powerfully against the shore. She smiled at the sound of hearty male laughter coming from the ocean. She shielded her eyes and caught sight of Phineas Bogg and Jeffrey Jones throwing each other into the oncoming waves. The trio was enjoying a long needed vacation on a beach in Quintana Roo, a Mexican state that was uninhabited in the seventeenth century.

It was three months since Kayla had last seen the Voyagers, having been immersed in her studies at Voyager Training School. Her course schedule proved to be intense and more academic than a field worker. She was assigned to learn the history of the Guidebook, omni function and repair, psychology, genealogy, and other necessary ethics and social science classes. Kayla enjoyed the experience, but missed all of her dear friends. Her assistant Jeremy Saunders and his new bride, Kirstie, were doing very well in the Manhattan Brownstone on Sixth Avenue. Kayla often shared what she learned with Jeremy and he handled her caseload of Voyagers with relative ease while Voyagers Headquarters gave him assistance as needed.

The day after her final exam for the omni course, she received a surprise visit from Phineas and Jeffrey. They had come to whisk her away to an island retreat. Kayla was ecstatic to go, and to her amazement, the boys had prepared a large hut in advance. They decorated it with a few modern furnishings and had gone hunting for food and delicious fruits. Today was their third day living like natives off the isle.

Kayla made her way to the ocean, only going in up to her ankles. Phineas waved with a broad, attractive smile.

"C'mon, hon! I think your toes know how to swim great by now!"

Phineas! That's not funny!" She shouted back, but couldn't stop herself from laughing.

She waded further until the water passed her knees. The waves were bigger in this late hour of the day. Jeffrey wrestled himself away from Phineas and came to her side.

"The water is perfect, Kayla! Don't be scared, you're doing great since we got here. I'm gonna go eat, I'm starved!"

"Jeff, remember don't swim again too soon." She reminded him.

"I know. The one hour rule. I'm just gonna relax anyway." He plopped on the blanket and began munching on the shish kabobs Kayla roasted earlier. After he stuffed himself, he would be ready for a long nap.

Kayla bravely moved closer and Phineas swam to her. The cool water lapped up to her chest. She held out her arms and wrapped them around his neck, and then did the same with her legs around his waist, feeling safe in his strong grip.

"Hey pretty lady, it's about time you joined me." He kissed her.

"I'll only do this if you're here to help me, I'm still scared of the water, Phineas."

Phineas hugged her. "Hey, its okay, I am here. Haven't my lessons paid off at all?"

"Yep, I was able to get this far without panicking, that's pretty good."

"Great, now lets see that dog paddle."

"Oh no, not now, I just got so comfortable."

She shifted up closer and rested her head on his shoulder. She ran her fingers down his back, hoping he would change his mind. Phineas always enjoyed the sensation, but he was on to her tricks.

"Kayla, this is for your own good. My father trained my sister and I to swim when we were still babies; he said I should have been a mermaid's son. Trust me, it will come in handy."

Kayla groaned and pulled away. She tread the water while Phineas cheered her on.

"That's great, look at you, you're floating! That's one of the most important things to know about swimming, how to stay afloat."

"It would help if I actually moved somewhere."

"It's far better than sinking."

Kayla loved Phineas' confidence. He was a source of great encouragement to everyone he met. They spent the next half hour practicing different swimming techniques and she proved to be a decent student. When she tired out, they cuddled on a rock mass as the sun dipped into the horizon. She curled up between his legs and Phineas sat behind her and played with her shoulder length hair.

"I can't decide what I like Kayla, the long hair or the short."

"Everyone at VTS loved the bob, but I got a little tired of maintaining it; it just grows so fast. Right now it's in that awkward, in-between stage."

_"Nah,_ it looks fine to me. Hair is hair."

"Spoken like a true male. You know, I am proud of myself today, I never thought I'd be able to swim like this in the _ocean."_

"What do you mean? Are you swimming in other bodies of water behind my back?" He prodded her.

Kayla laughed. "Well, I wanted to surprise you a little, but I've been taking lessons with Brian at the pool in the Academy. Believe it or not, he's a fantastic teacher too, but not as gentle as you." She tickled his hands and gazed at him.

Phineas was silent. She stared at him, amused to see jealousy creeping upon his face as his jaw tensed and his mouth set in a firm line. She decided to play oblivious and looked toward the horizon.

_"Um…_word around the Voyager water cooler is that he has a thing for Marty. I've never seen a more healthier man take so many trips to the infirmary. But it's a shame, because we all know Marty has the hots for Tom and he sorta likes her, but really, he's just too bashful to admit anything. That's not good, because if Tom does love her, he'll lose her quick and…"

Phineas stared dumbfounded as she prattled on all the romantic dirt about their Pioneer friends. He silenced her with a hand over her mouth.

_"Jeesh_ Kayla! You're turning this team into a soap opera!"

"It's not! It's just…_life._ You wouldn't believe all the stuff I've heard about you!"

Phineas shrugged and chuckled. "Sticks and stones, what does anyone really know?"

"Not much I hope!"

He laughed again and then brushed her hair aside and kissed the nape of her neck. She leaned back against his chest and they continued to kiss playfully. When their lips parted they gazed tenderly at one another.

"Phineas, this was one of the sweetest things you've ever done for me."

"Didn't I tell you I would do anything for you?"

"Yes, although, I did say that getting me the pink and red Kimonos and tatami sandals was _the sweetest_, I loved them so much, I almost wore them out." She giggled.

"Oh, I didn't tell you that Tomoe Gozen the warrior gave it to me as a thank you. Jeff and I helped her plan out _and win_, the battle of Kurikawa. She called us, _Phinesan_ and _Jeffresan_."

Kayla slid off the rock and faced him with a wry smile. She pushed his wet hair back and kept her arms around his waist.

"I've read about Tomoe, she had flawless porcelain skin, long and silky black hair, and was _beautiful_."

"Yeah, she sure was. And what a warrior! The things she could do with that bow and arrow…" Phineas trailed off, holding back laughter.

"Oh really? And I've heard that her _husband_, Kiso Yoshinaka, was an expert with his samurai sword, he was rumored to split men in two with one stroke." Kayla informed him with a playful shove.

"Those Japanese wars are outright bloody and violent, Jeffrey was a little stunned for a while. I tried to keep him out of the battle and it was rough. Tomoe eventually took the head of the man who killed her husband." Phineas shuddered from the memory.

_"Wow!_ I'm sorry he had to witness all that. So what really happened to her? Did she become a nun or die with him in the battle?"

"Honestly, I don't know for sure. After we defeated General Yoritomo, I got Jeff out of there as fast as possible; she was riding toward the East when I hit the omni."

"Another person lost in the throngs of history, that's too bad." Kayla shivered from the sudden breezes and noticed Phineas did the same. "Hey, those gorgeous muscles of yours must be getting chilly; we should head back to the hut."

The young couple strolled along the shoreline holding hands. When they came to the hut, Jeffrey had already passed out in his small cot. They washed themselves with freshwater and soap and put on warmer clothing. Kayla set up the blanket and Phineas brought out a platter of an intricately carved fruit salad he worked on earlier in the day.

"Phineas! You did this? It's so beautiful I almost don't want to eat it. You've created a work of art."

"I picked this little art form up from the natives of Polynesia, they find beauty in everything."

_"Hmm,_ I'm sure the native women found beauty in you, my_ dahling_."

Kayla held her tongue after that remark. She knew she had to stop her jealous behavior. She didn't want to make Phineas feel uncomfortable, but he was so good-natured that sometimes her comments went over his head. She watched him as he chewed on a papaya and looked wistfully at the full moon coming into view. In school, the other female voyagers talked non-stop about the gorgeous Phineas Bogg, and whether real or imagined, they all seemed to have a story to tell.

As Kayla grew more adapted to the school setting, she became a passive observer to these conversations. When they learned of her relationship with Phineas, some started giving her the cold shoulder. Kayla brushed it off with understanding; she had been in their shoes at one time, feeling no more than a mere notch in his belt.

"So, _Boggy_, what to do now?"

Phineas swallowed his fruit and rolled his eyes at her. "_Boggy_, huh? Where did that come from?"

"Well that's what all the gals call you at school, specifically Voyager Beth Davies. Don't you remember her? Average height, pretty brown eyes, and a 'widdle' cupid bow mouth?"

"Oh…_That_ Beth…_hehheh_…yeah, she kinda loves to give everyone pet names."

"_Really Phinny_? _Ohhhh! Where is my Boggy woggy baby bear?_" She mocked the female Voyager's squeaky voice.

Kayla laughed at him as his eyes widened. He grinned and shrugged like a little boy caught in the cookie jar. She kissed his cheek and snatched a strawberry.

"I'm only teasing you, Phineas, but you really are popular at VTS. I think you're in at least one picture in every display case around the campus. You really went all out."

"I was a late bloomer, I didn't know my buckle from my sash when I first arrived."

"Hey buster, according to these girls you knew that buckle from that sash very well. I saw more of your early pictures and you were adorable! That perfect Viking mustache, your hair all scruffy in a ponytail, little chipped tooth in front, your broken nos…"

Phineas lunged on her and covered her mouth. _"Shhh! _Are you trying to give me away?"

Their laughter rang out across the beach as he grappled her, she begged for mercy when he kept her arms behind her back and started to tickle her all over.

"_Ahhhh!_ Stop! Stop! Jeffrey is going to wake up! Please!"

"Jeffrey? Wake up? That kid slept through the Tri-State Tornado!"

Kayla lifted her head up. _"Oooh, _you mean the one from nineteen twenty five that ripped across three states in America?"

"That's the one! Hey you're pretty good, maybe I should take you along as a partner?"

"Don't you dare Phineas Bogg, Jeffrey is your one and only." She scolded him, managing to squirm out of his grasp and turn over.

"I know that, he's irreplaceable. I still want you…"

Kayla kissed him. "I love those four words, say it again."

Phineas cleared his throat and put his mouth to her ear, _"I still want you…"_ He repeated.

Within the next few moments it was absolutely clear how much he did. Meanwhile, Jeffrey stumbled from his cot; he needed to relieve himself. He noticed the two on the blanket and clicked his teeth annoyed as he walked over, covering his eyes halfway.

"Sorry! Kid crossing! _Excuse me." _He announced.

Phineas leaped off Kayla and she quickly rolled on her stomach and adjusted her sweater sleeves. They both laughed uncomfortable. Jeffrey smiled and continued to saunter in the direction of the trees.

"Hey, can you move it a little faster, Jeff?" Phineas urged. "Next time, I make _two_ huts." He whispered to Kayla.

She choked back a laugh and elbowed him.

"What, Bogg? I'm enjoying the scenery out here, smelling the flowers. Gazing at the starlight." Jeffrey teased.

"You'll be seeing stars alright! Watch out for wild boars…and a real _nasty_ species of tropical bug." Phineas sneered. "You haven't seen it yet have you?"

"No…what bug? A scorpion?"

"No! This isn't a desert. I'm talking about a skeevy little thing that burrows under your skin and picks at your muscle flesh with its pincers! I've heard stories, Jeff, that would curl your…_uhh, straighten_ your hair! They've attacked whole armies of natives and ate men alive from the inside out! The natives often used them as a torture tactic." Phineas stared gravely at him.

Jeffrey curled his toes in the sand, wishing he wore sneakers. He glanced around, trying to cover over his nervousness. "No such bug, Bogg! I've never heard of that one. What do they look like, huh?"

"A cross between a beetle and probably a scorpion, but I've never gotten within ten feet of those things. They leap you know_…like this!"_

Kayla yelped as Phineas quickly tossed a handful of sand at Jeffrey's legs and the boy nearly jumped a mile and toppled over. He scrambled to his feet, red faced.

"Bogg! That's not funny! I knew you were lying to me!"

Phineas laughed heartily. "I got you good, didn't I? I'm sorry Jeff, but you left yourself wide open for that one!"

"Oh yeah, well, you'll definitely be sorry for that!" Jeffrey sputtered and ran to the dark underbrush.

Kayla laughed at the antics between them. It could never be any other way between the boys. Phineas claimed to never lie, but he was certainly good at it. She snuggled closer to him.

"Phineas, you could always have Jeffrey camp outside further down the beach, it's a clear night. Or maybe in one of the caves we found the other day…then again, _we_ could…" She suggested with a mischievous glint in her turquoise eyes.

Phineas had considered it earlier, but he shook his head. "I can't send him out there. Who knows what's behind those trees? There could be wild creatures, restless natives trying to defend their land…"

Kayla giggled. "Flesh eating bugs…that's why I love you. You're such a _protective_ father figure to him."

"I doubt Jeffrey will be calling me _dad_ any time soon."

_"Aww,_ you never know. Hey, I hope you didn't really scare him. It is kind of creepy out there."

"I'm right here and I'm quick, but sometimes, that kid asks for it, Kayla…hey…_where _are you going?"

Kayla rose from the blanket and yawned. "You know, we promised to take Jeffrey to look at some Mayan ruins tomorrow and we want to get an early start."

Phineas kicked the sand, his frustration evident. He looked up at her with his lower lip jutted out. "But Kayla, this is _our_ vacation too, it's a perfect night for…"

Kayla shushed him as Jeffrey passed by again, he had gotten over his bug scare. "Hey! Who made the fruit salad? Looks great!"

Jeffrey helped himself to a few coconut squares and sat cross-legged on the blanket. He didn't pay attention to Bogg's annoyed mumblings; rather, he counted down the seconds until he heard his inevitable complaint.

"Smart kids give me a pain!" Phineas said huffy and he popped some grapes in his mouth.

Kayla laughed aloud with Jeffrey and sat between them. It was too beautiful a night to waste sleeping. They all relaxed and talked under the gorgeous velvet sky of the tropics.


	2. A tragedy for all times

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II  
**

**Chapter 2: Time Flux  
**

_**Breezy Point, England, 1709**_

This was the exact time and place, May 14th 1709, in the mid-afternoon. That's what he remembered from listening in at the window when Drake assigned him to spy on the Bogg family a few months ago. The story went that a wicked peddler kidnapped Jeremiah's daughter, and his foolhardy son Phineas and his friend went after him. The gray-eyed Voyager opened his omni and stomped his foot impatient. When was that wagon going to come around the bend? He soon heard the approaching hooves and jangles of bells and trinkets charging toward him. He was given one chance to get this right, or Lorna Turner would have him strung up by his toenails in a medieval dungeon. He readied himself to light the fuse and counted.

* * *

Vinchenzo Carvallo saw the approaching cliffs and glanced desperate at his best friend in the rear of the wagon.

_"HOLD ON PHINEAS! Woah!_ Stop! _Arresto!"_

He yanked on the reins with all his might and the two black horses slowed down to a trot. The gray-eyed man ended his countdown on twenty-five and tossed the stick of dynamite. It was a perfect shot, ten feet ahead of the horse's legs. The steeds bucked into the air from the sudden explosion and the tall, young Italian was tossed off the wagon from the force. Dwight Roach did a victory dance when his omni turned red. There was no need to watch the carnage about to ensue. He quickly left the scene to report back to Lorna.

-O-

Vinchenzo rolled into a grassy knoll and got up horrified, he ran to grab for the back of the carriage. Jeremiah approached fast, after having knocked the peddler unconscious.

"Phineas jump out! _Saltare! Salto!_" Vinchenzo bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"I can't leave her! She's stuck in the cage!" He shouted.

Just as Phineas forced the lock open with Joanna's hairpin, the wagon lurched forward and flipped over. The terrified screams of the brother and sister echoed down the jagged cliffs. Jeremiah Bogg jumped off his horse and staggered to the edge of the precipice, he couldn't see his children, only the crushed remains of the peddler's wagon and swirling waves of the black sea. Wails of grief escaped him and he wanted to throw himself over. Vinchenzo wrenched him away from the crag. Jeremiah looked at him, as if awakening from a nightmare. His whole body quaked and his countenance was stony. It was a few minutes before either of them could speak.

Vinchenzo shook with fury and hot tears spilled down his face as he sank to his knees. He pulled at the dirt and his wild, curly hair. Jeremiah put his arm around his shoulders in fatherly concern and hugged him.

"Captain Bogg…I…I saw…someone, a man off the edge of the road, he…he threw the explosive and I couldn't control the horses! He was laughing like a demon and I saw him disappear! It's all _my_ fault! I should have died, not Phineas! _Il dio, lo perdona!"_

"NO! _NO! _You did your best Vinchenzo…you tried to save my son and daughter…I know that you tried. Come, we have to report this to the Magistrate! I need to do a search…I must…tell Sonora...they have to find the bodies…"

Jeremiah rambled in shock and Vinchenzo had to hold him up. The two men mounted their horses and solemnly rode back to the village.

-Oo-

**_Quintana Roo, 1650_**

Phineas, Jeffrey, and Kayla stood with awe in front of the ancient Tulum ruins. After a two-mile hike and a forty-foot climb up the cliffs they finally came to rest on the stone steps of the fortress that surrounded the temple. The air was still and the sun beat down. Kayla sat on the highest crag. She gulped fresh water and overlooked the entire island amazed.

"You guys should really come and enjoy the view, it's so gorgeous! This place was virtually abandoned after the Spanish conquest."

Phineas looked at his partner and gave him a nudge. "You hear that, Jeff? I think she can give you a run for the money!"

"Hey, she only knows so much because she's in Voyager school. I'll get there soon I guess."

"Don't guess, you _will_ Jeffrey, I'll see to it myself."

Jeffrey took notice of how his partner stared at Kayla with extreme love in his eyes. He knew the faces Phineas made when he was attracted to a woman, but this time, his expression was different. There was a profound depth and adoration in it. Phineas had found his one.

"Bogg, you're not ready to dump me yet are you?"

Phineas looked at him surprised. "Dump you, Jeff? What are you talking about?"

"I mean as a partner, I know how you feel about Kayla and I think that it's great you two found love and stuff. She's so smart and all…maybe it would be better to travel with _her." _Jeffrey drew figures in the dirt with a long stick.

Phineas stood up, a little offended at Jeffrey's assumption.

"Hey listen, I didn't mean to upset you, I was only joking. Kayla would _never_ let me dump you first of all, and even more importantly,_ I _would _never let_ myself dump you, because you're my kid! My partner!" He said stern.

Phineas knew Jeffrey needed the constant reassurance, but he was tired of the boy doubting the promises he made him. Jeffrey looked up with somber eyes and threw the stick on the floor. He rushed over and gave him a quick hug.

"Sorry Bogg, I know…_I know_…I'm being a pest. You can't dump me anyway." He cracked a smile.

"Oh yeah! Why not?"

"Because Kayla's not a Voyager field worker, she's an _Aide,_ and that my friend, would break protocol."

Phineas grabbed Jeffrey in a headlock. "Hey! Are you _really_ sorry for doubting me?"

"Yeah! _Oww!"_

Phineas let him go and put his arm over his shoulders. "I've changed my mind, smart twelve-year-olds give me a pain! C'mon, let's see what the old lady's squawking about up there, huh?"

Kayla turned a sharp eye on Phineas as he and Jeffrey made their way up the ruins. "_Old_ lady? I hardly think you could even _begin_ to call me that, _grandpa_!"

Phineas blew her a kiss and winked. Jeffrey ignored their romantic silliness and traced the elaborate carvings on the temple walls with his fingers. The entrance to the inner chamber was locked tight and he was disappointed.

"What's the matter, kid?"

"I wanted to get inside, it's sealed off."

_"Hmm, _well, maybe there's some sort of secret lever or loose stone to push in. From looking at these fortresses, I'd say the Mayans knew how to protect themselves. I'd be careful, there could be hidden traps. Deadly ones at that."

"Yeah, but in a couple of hundred years this place will be swarming with tourists and gift shops." Jeffrey grumbled.

"We can always omni forward and have a look inside?" Phineas suggested.

_"Naahhh,_ its more fun this way, untouched and unspoiled. I'm going around to the side wall, maybe there's a way in from there."

"Great, be with you in a minute."

Phineas came up behind Kayla and leaned his chin on her shoulder. His gaze followed hers across the expanse of the island. She was right; the view was spectacular.

"I'm glad Jeffrey talked me into taking a vacation. We were running on full steam, thirty voyages in the last few months wore us out."

_"Thirty?_ My goodness, I should call you the Michelin men!"

"Michelin men? What's that?"

"Oh, it's just an automobile logo. It's actually a man made of tires and rubber, well, he's a lot more rounded than you both are…never mind." She laughed.

"_Ahhh_, Jeffrey does the same thing to me, he keeps forgetting I don't know these modern references."

Phineas stepped aside and looked down at the ocean as it smashed into the rocks. A sharp memory assailed him. He was in a runaway carriage with his sister Joanna and trying to release her from a cage. There was a sudden explosion…

He felt dizzy, an intense pain enveloped his entire body and he doubled over into shaking fits and gasped for air. He reached out to Kayla.

"Kayla…_Help me!"_

"Phineas! What's happening to you!"_  
_

He could barely speak. Kayla grabbed Phineas and yanked him back before he fell over the cliff. She didn't know what to do for him and he clung to her for dear life. Jeffrey was coming down the steps toward them.

"Hey guys! I think I found the entrance! You were right, Bogg! There's a hidden lever behind some vines and shrubs, come look…" Jeffrey saw his partner's trauma and ran over.

"Kayla, what's going on?" He demanded.

"I don't know, Jeff! Phineas, try to talk to us, where's the pain?"

Phineas grabbed Jeffrey's arm. "Pain…_everywhere!_ I'm drowning! Joanna…sinking in the cage! I can't reach her! She won't move! We're dying!"

Kayla and Jeffrey tried to lay him down; his body writhed in spasms. Jeffrey cried and he put his head on Phineas' chest, attempting to offer some comfort and keep his body still.

"I can't…c_an't…breathe!"_

"Kayla! Let's get him out of here now!"

Kayla adjusted Phineas' omni for Headquarters, and it faded from her hands. She jumped back startled then quickly went to Jeffrey's side to help rouse Phineas. Jeffrey screamed when he no longer felt Phineas underneath him. He threw his arms out, trying to hold onto him, but his hands went right through Phineas' body. Phineas looked at them in shock. He reached for Jeffrey in agony, then completely faded out of existence.

Jeffrey tugged on her sleeve, nearly hysterical. _"Kayla! _Where did he go? Why did that happen!"

A peculiar feeling came over Kayla, and she felt very disorientated. Jeffrey grasped his head, he felt the same sensation. A terrifying notion came to Kayla. She grabbed him.

"Jeffrey! It's a _time flux! _Someone altered Phineas' past and he's already dead! Any minute now and we're not going to exist. Don't forget about Phineas! Try to remember being a Voyager! _Don't forget anything!" _She gasped._  
_

Sobbing, Jeffrey and Kayla hugged tight. The fabric of time swirled around them and they disappeared.


	3. Alterations

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 3: Alterations**

Voyager Joseph Howell couldn't explain it, well, in actuality he could, but to see it happen before his own eyes was like a devastating nightmare. He was sitting in the lush picnic area of Voyagers Headquarters reviewing his notes for his study group with Voyager Olivia Dunne. Aside from work, they casually chatted about her recent voyages. Joseph was no stranger to fieldwork, but the tribunal had decided he would better serve the cause using his smarts and enigmatic teaching skills for a few terms at Headquarters. In the last five years, he was also promoted to head librarian of the vast Voyager Archives and Phineas assigned him second-in-command of Pioneer. Although he enjoyed his position immensely, he couldn't shake off the sinking feeling that persons of certain ethnic backgrounds were limited among field workers.

Joseph once voiced his thoughts to the council in a respectable fashion and they told him the truth. There were many cases where an ethnic or a black Voyager like himself, had to be limited to their own confines of earthly history. It wasn't prejudice on the part of the council, but rather a unanimous decision made because of the maltreatment and discrimination that minorities suffered in the fieldwork. Many had lost their lives for the cause due to the racism that inflicted certain time zones of history. Joseph was humble enough to accept this answer. Being a zealous student of history, and from the twentieth century, he was able to relate to the struggles that his fellow Voyagers had went through. Council member Kane told him some of his own poignant tales of being a young, black, fieldworker. literally at first, in Revolutionary war era Kentucky, and then later as a Voyager.

"A black man from the old South will never escape _that_ title." He often joked.

There were times when what could have been a quick fix of a red light turned into a dramatic affair because the said 'victim' or 'notable personage' could or would not accept help from a black man or even a female. Joseph started taking note of _all_ the experiences from ethnic Voyagers and oppressed groups. He was compiling facts and tips for a new course book he entitled, _'Talk like the white man: A Voyager's guide to ethnic harmony beyond the cosmos.' _While the Council disapproved of the first part of the title, they green-lighted the publication and it was halfway through completion.

Joseph enjoyed being in the company of Olivia Dunne. He was fascinated with her point of view and life experiences as a pilot. She was a no-nonsense young woman from the nineteen twenties and understood the struggle for equality. In 1930, Olivia was poised to be the first woman to make the solo flight across the Atlantic, but her plane engine failed her. At twelve thousand feet, she began to nose-dive, her view obscured by gray clouds and fog. She was speeding down like a bullet and was forced to kick the rudder into a spin. Olivia came down in a spiral, letting gravity take over. At less than one thousand feet, and resigned that she was going to crash to her death, an intense white light nearly blinded her and she woke up in Voyager's Headquarters. Amelia Earhart took the title, as history told the tale.

-O-

"Hey Joe, you gonna eat that sandwich or what? That's a prime roast I made. You didn't come by food like that easily in the Great Depression."

"Okay, Liv, I'm eating, I'm eating. It's really good." Joseph fibbed between rough chews and resumed his questions. "So tell me, what feelings did you have when they first turned you down for the pilot's license?"

_"Hmm,_ I was livid, Joe. I mean, I worked my tail off to raise enough money to buy my first little plane, and then pay for the courses. It didn't help with all the sexual harassment either. Basically, I demanded to be treated as an equal and after a while…and a few black eyes and swollen guts, they got the point."

_"Haha!_ I've seen your fists in action around here, I'm glad I never got popped in the eye."

"Now why would I do that to you, Joe? You've been so kind to me, not a show off like _Bogg."_

"Bogg? A show off? He's cocky all right, but I didn't get that impression. I was already in the field when he started school anyway. Maybe he was just immature then."

"_Then?_ Ha!"

"Tell me the truth, Olivia. What are your real feelings for him? This is off the record of course."

Olivia sipped her lemonade and then looked deep into Joseph's warm, brown eyes. She never realized what an attractive man he was and how comfortable she felt around him and his sweet, wide smile. She was very jealous when Kayla Shepherd first revealed her relationship with Phineas, but she knew why he was attracted to her. Phineas always went for the pretty ones and Kayla was one of those women who could roll out of bed and still be beautiful, a gal from the 'Fabulous Fifties.' When Olivia and Phineas shared kisses on the Titanic and later in Paris, it was a like a dream come true. Olivia shouldn't have expected much more to come of it, considering their distance. The next time she saw Phineas was at the first Pioneer meeting, and by then, she knew his heart belonged to someone else.

"Joseph, it doesn't really matter anymore, I think he's found the best woman for him, we would just constantly fight and disagree. Kayla is a sweet one, she has a good head on her shoulders, but most importantly, she's not obsessive about competing with him. I think that belligerent spirit in me would hamper any relationship Bogg and I might have. It already did, with Pasteur and everything…it goes way back to school."

Joseph took her hand sympathetically. "You know Liv, I don't think you're belligerent. Your background toughened you up to men…but…you don't have to fight and compete with _every _guy."

He stopped talking and they just stared at each other.

"You really mean that, Joe?"

"Sure, our circumstances in life often shape our personalities, but that doesn't mean we can't change for the better. Maybe sometimes you just need to soften up a little, because I think you're a very attractive woman."

"Thank you, I haven't heard a compliment like that in...a very long time." When Joseph saw her hazel eyes moisten and her nose turn pink, a warm feeling crept into his cheeks. He was about to reach out and give her a comforting hug and the nightmare occurred.

Olivia's eye widened and she thrashed around. She fell off the bench onto her back, pulling at her face and then her arms and ankles. Olivia had never felt such pain in her life; Her breath came out in ragged spurts and she vaguely heard Joseph shouting for a Medic. When she was talking to him, a sharp memory of being on the Titanic struck her. At first she thought it was because they discussed Bogg, but the scene in her mind changed. She was extremely close to snatching the Mona Lisa from Garrity and his men, but they caught her and locked her in his cabin. However, Bogg came…

Her mind went into a spin. Who was _Bogg?_ She remembered him…her classmate, her rival…a dear friend…no, _who_ _was Bogg? _She didn't have time to dwell on the image of the handsome man that slowly faded into darkness. Garrity's men tossed her overboard bound and gagged from the Titanic, into the frigid waters.

Joseph held Olivia up in his lap, and rubbed her head. Her skin felt like ice. He knew right away something happened in the time line. The Voyager Medics rushed to their side and lifted her on the stretcher. She grabbed Joseph's arm and her nails dug into his skin.

_"Titanic!_ Joe! The Mona Lisa is lost! Bogg is… _gone_! Help me! I can't get the ropes off, the sack…can't breathe! I'm cold!"

"Olivia! Hold on!"

The stinging sensation of her nails ceased and he looked down in shock as she faded away. That had _never_ happened before on Planet Voyager. The Medics nearly dropped the stretcher and ran back to the hospital. Pandemonium was building up on the campus and Joseph saw a large group of Voyager technicians race into the Omni Control Center, shouting the critical words–

"Breach! _Breach! _Code Red to the OCC! _Code Red!"_

Joseph ran with the crowd into the OCC and flashed the guard a VIP badge that allowed him full access. He gaped at the Omnibus, a twenty-foot wide tracking radar at the front of the white room. All across the board red lights sprang up from every time zone. He ran to the head of the Omni unit, Bobby Peters, a tall and friendly Australian man.

"Bobby! What's going on here? Olivia Dunne is gone! She faded before my eyes! She said something about Bogg and the Titanic!"

"Titanic is the least of our problems mate! Bogg was the first to go on the radar but the crazy thing is, his whole history comes up green! We can't place where or when there was an alteration, a minute later we lost track of Jones, Sheppard, Saunders, Dunne, everything is going topsy-turvy here!"

A young and attractive technician came up to them, her hands clenched her clipboard until her knuckles turned white. She had an expression of pure anxiety on her face.

_"Umm,_ Bobby…we have another problem. All the red lights on the time line are turning green, we're losing track of where Voyagers Bogg and Jones made corrections!"

Bobby ran to the Omnibus and turned to the technician seated at the console. "Quick, keep making screen captures, we need to know what missions they had accomplished."

"We already started that sir!"

"Good! Get a message out to start sending any available Voyagers to the red light locations!"

"Copy that, sir!"

Joseph got on his communicator and spoke to a librarian at the Archives. "Christina, I need you to start compiling all the paper data we have on Voyagers Phineas Bogg, Jeffrey Jones and Olivia Dunne! Get everyone on it. It's an emergency!"

Bobby faced him. "Joseph, get Pioneer together and hurry! There is a possibility that we can locate Jones and the others before the time flux period passes. It's a good thing we still have their files on paper.'

"What happens when the time flux passes, Bobby?" Joseph demanded. "Why is this happening?"

Bobby rubbed his hand through his hair, his expression somber.

"Something went wrong with Bogg, it must have! If we can get to Jones and everyone before the time flux, we can use whatever memories they have to correct these alterations. If we don't, then we're going to lose them all forever, and their alternate memories will fade like mere dreams."

Joseph gasped. He tried to keep his emotions in check as flipped open his communicator.

-O-

Regina Montgomery-Sheppard had awakened with a bad feeling that morning and it continued to disturb her into the afternoon. She came in from the cafeteria with lunch for her and her husband, John Henry. She opened the door to their housing complex and groaned. John Henry was still sleeping, his body draped across the bed with his long legs hanging off. She came to his side of the bed and nudged him, then rubbed his back.

"Baby, it's time to get up, it's half past twelve. I brought us some lunch. I haven't had a chance to do any food shopping."

John Henry rolled over and opened his eyes, blinking to clear away his double vision. He knew it was late, but his sleep was disturbed most of the night. Regina was ever keen to his feelings and questioned him.

"Baby, what's wrong? I know you had trouble sleeping, because I did. You were mumbling things about the Brooklyn Bridge and Kayla. I'm worried John."

"Hey darlin', what gave me away?" He sat up and pulled the covers off of him, hunching over the edge of the bed.

"Your brow, whenever you're confused or upset you have deep groove right in the middle, it's cute…but I don't like you to be that way."

He smiled and kissed her. "Oh yeah, that thing. What's worrying you?"

"You were dreaming the same thing as me last night…and I was dreaming of Phineas Bogg."

John Henry stood up and flexed his broad muscles. He grabbed for a bath towel and stepped into the shower.

"Woah, Darlin'! You were _dreaming_ about Phineas? Fine thing to tell your husband when he wakes up after such a beautiful night."

"John! It's not _that!_ I just have this feeling something is wrong. I can't explain it, but I feel like…I'm having two memories. It started just before when I was on the cafeteria line. I heard something about a breach in the OCC."

After adjusting his water settings, he stuck his head out from the curtain. "Two memories, huh?" He paused to finish soaping up and make sense of his own conflicted thoughts. "Memories of being with Phineas saving that Brooklyn Bridge and us _without_ him, being somewhere else?"

Regina looked on in shock. _"Exactly!_ It's foggy, but not just him…everyone…I don't remember your cousin Kayla, but I know she's here for training! I'm scared."

"I'm feelin' the same way right now! Heck, something ain't right here. I think we need to speak to Garth or someone. I just have this sick notion in my gut that…"

John Henry's communicator buzzed from the bedroom and Regina retrieved it. "Regina Montgom…_I mean_ Sheppard speaking, Voyager 3010."

John Henry teased her from behind the shower curtain; he got tired of using formal language when contacting people on it. The person on the receiving end knew whom they were calling. When he answered a page, a quick and hearty _"Y'ello!"_ sufficed and everyone knew it was him. Regina recognized Joseph's frantic voice on the other line.

"Regina! I need you and John Henry to meet me at the OCC as _fast_ as you can, there's been a breach! Phineas Bogg is dead!"

John Henry shut the water off and started dressing. Regina nearly dropped the communicator.

_"What! _Say that again?"

"I said, Phineas Bogg is dead! Not in this present. Someone messed with his time line and killed him in his past, but OCC can't trace it. Everything he and Jeffrey had ever done for the cause is being erased as we speak! And Olivia…" He faltered, choked up.

"Oh my God, Joseph! Wait, what about Olivia? Isn't Olivia Dunne…?"

John Henry hopped on one foot zipping up his boot. "Dead too, she was tossed off that Titanic tub! They have a display in her honor. Hot damn, that just hit me now! But Bogg _rescued _Olivia on the Titanic! If he's gone then so is Kayla!"

John Henry covered his mouth to restrain the curses that wanted to fly out. "The boy Jeffrey…he's not a Voyager either…then how the heck do I know him? They're _all _gone! Phineas and Jeffrey, Kayla…the other Aide, Jeremy! Shoot fire, nothing's right here! _Dammit! _I know who done this, it was Lorna and Paradox!"

Regina was still stunned as her own memories fell into disorganization. "John's right! It had to be them!"

"I agree! Olivia disappeared right in front of me. I don't know precisely, but I think we're dealing with an alternate universe that currently exists without Bogg. It's complicated, but we're going to have to go to these new time zones and like John Henry says, 'round em' up!" You two are the only Pioneer members here right now; please get down to the complex!"

John Henry buckled his belt and grabbed the communicator from his wife. "We're right there, man!"


	4. Speaking of a Paradox

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 4: Speaking of a Paradox**

**_Paradox Center Of Operations_**

Dwight Roache twiddled his thumbs and pulled at his greasy blonde hair. His brilliant eyes darted in every direction as he waited for Lorna. He felt very proud of himself, having accomplished what Drake only dreamed of. Killing Phineas Bogg in his own time line was so easy he wondered why no one thought of it earlier. The black door opened and he peeked inside. Lorna called out to him with a sardonic grin.

"Get in here, Dwight and shut the door behind you."

Dwight entered the imposing room and shivered from the cold blast of the air conditioner. Lorna's taste in furniture was sparse, but highly stylized. Silver and black were the dominant colors of the décor and they only added to her iron-like leadership and tough as nails demeanor. She swiveled around in her leather chair and popped open a bottle of champagne, pouring them both a tall glass.

"You are to be commended, Dwight! Drink up! I wasn't sure if you could pull it off, considering your last _futile_ attempt on the Brooklyn Bridge." She popped a shrimp cocktail in her mouth.

Dwight defended himself in his mind, but remained silent. He didn't remember her sticking around to help at that time or watch Drake go down either. However, when Lorna spoke you didn't answer unless she posed a direct question to you.

"They'll never track us." She continued in a dark tone. "Billy disengaged Drake's useless and redundant code locks and designed new ones. You look like something is on your mind, you may speak."

Dwight sat himself down in a small silver chair that was hardly designed for comfort. "Lorna, what about the time flux? I heard some V-Techs talking about it and that they are going to try and reverse what's been done. How can they do that? I don't really know all this technical stuff."

Lorna gulped the last of her wine and poured herself more. "It's alarmingly simple, but don't worry your Irish head about it. I have my own agenda. I want you and a few others to hit the time zones where Pioneer members are. Here, look at this."

She picked up a black remote and pointed it to the wall across from her desk. A Dali painting with melted clocks, fittingly called _'The moment of explosion'_, rose up to reveal a silver screen. She pushed a red button and the screen was illuminated with a time line, it was a small version of the Omnibus in the Control Center.

"Billy designated this Omnibus to read the locations of all the Pioneer members. I'm sending Paradox out in order to divert them and bring them here. I am putting you in charge of that Dwight; all contact pertaining to Pioneer and its members will be directed to you, but I have another assignment for you in the meantime. Try not to screw it up, remember what I said about Medieval times!"

She pressed a buzzer under her desk and another wall slid open to reveal a few more members of Paradox. They barely moved a muscle, standing tall with their hands folded in front of them. In the middle of them was Voyager Drake, he stepped out next to Lorna with a wicked smile.

"Now that Bogg is out of the way and everything is askew, we can continue our original plan of domination. Since _changes_ were made in Bogg's worthless life, it resulted in an alternate time line. We have to eliminate the links in the alternate one to be ultimately successful. Jeffrey Jones, Kayla Sheppard, and Jeremy Saunders must be obliterated or else they will somehow lead Pioneer back into Bogg's original history."

Lorna pinched his cheek. "That's right my dear, we can't have that nasty little time flux interfering with our plans. Dwight, you and Billy Ryan are assigned to Jones, he is the first one they'll try and bring back. Drake and I are going to handle things here at the OCC. The rest of you know where you have to go and who you have to deal with, now get a move on!"

The Voyagers set their omnis for their missions and took off, Dwight lingered confused until Lorna glared harshly at him. Voyager Billy Ryan tapped him on the shoulder and he turned startled.

"Let's go man, time to hit the Big Apple." Billy winked at Lorna and then they were gone.

Lorna moved seductively toward her old leader and ran her fingers through his black hair. "Its good to have you back with us, Drake…working for _me_ of course." She whispered snidely in his ear.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Drake replied. But inside he wanted to kill her. He had a complete migraine; he still couldn't understand why he wasn't in charge of operations since Bogg was out of the way. Before the trial, Drake was on top of the world as a VHQ lawyer. Lorna must have sabotaged him the way Bogg had. He leered at Lorna and took her arm.

"After you my dear, the OCC awaits!

_**Omni Control Center**_

"Are you clear with what you have to do, _mate?_ How bout' you _Sheila?_" Bobby asked the two Voyagers in his office.

John Henry stopped pacing and held his hips frustrated. He went behind Regina and put a supportive hand on her shoulder. Bobby and Joseph had just explained to the Voyagers that they needed to travel back to Jeffrey's time zone and get him to Headquarters to avoid any more complications. Joseph informed them that it was currently hard to pinpoint where Kayla and Jeremy would be located in this alternate universe, though New York City remained the best guess.

Joseph rifled through the current reports from OCC and they were very bleak.

"The actions Bogg's killer has taken caused an immediate and noticeable effect on_ our _universe and the _future_ of his own. However, being in Voyager Headquarters can be somewhat of a safe haven. Bobby spoke to the council and they told us that we all would retain the memories of the original time line. However, the time flux is limited to outsiders, which is why this mission is so important. The only outsiders with any knowledge of Bogg would be Kayla, Jones and Saunders. Archibald Houlihan would have been the next best person to visit but since Bogg never did meet his original Voyager Aide, Archie has no knowledge of him. The new records show that Houlihan left his Brownstone sometime in the early nineteen forties and the place remained abandoned until the nineteen seventies housing boom. Regina, you suggested voyaging to 1983 because Jeffrey would be a year _past_ the date that Bogg originally took him, right?"

"I'm only making an assumption that at some point in that year, Jeffrey's memories of his voyages with Bogg and the _last_ thing they did before Bogg disappeared would be complete. But that's taking a big risk, considering its all a series of dreams to him." She answered with a worried glance at John Henry.

"Heck, I don't care _where_ we have to go, I just want to get this whole thing sorted out. My cousin Kayla would also still have Charles' omni on her, but being on her own she wouldn't know how to make heads or tails of it. It would be so dang easier if we can just go back to Bogg's time and save him before this piece of horse shi…uh…_manure_ gets to him!"

Joseph put an arm around his friend to calm him down. He was just as anxious as John Henry. He would never forget the expression on Olivia's face as she begged for help and disappeared. Joseph had his Archivists looking through the books for any trace of Phineas Bogg's existence and they had yet to come up with his genealogy.

"If it was only so simple, John! Whoever messed with the Omnibus has totally erased the red light in Bogg's time line. We wouldn't know where to begin to look for this disturbance, it's like his entire history is off the map and out of the books. We'll keep working on that, there has to be something."

"I dang well know who messed things up, starts with a P and ends with an X, they are really asking for it now! I'm gonna find their little hidey-hole if I have to tear this whole Academy apart!"

Regina stood up and stroked his face. "John, its no use to get worked up now. We need to keep our minds clear and focus on the assignment they're giving us, okay, baby?"

He took a deep breath and kissed the top of her head. "I got ya sweetheart, _Jeffrey Jones. _New York City."

Regina opened her omni to set the dial and a muted beeping sounded from the two-way communicator on Bobby's desk. Tina came into view on the screen, her face in a panic.

"Bobby, we have a major problem out here, its Lorna and Drake they've taken the entire control room hostage!"

_"What! _Tina, where are you? I can barely see you."

"I'm under a desk in the back of the room and I have be extra quiet, they've got weapons, Bobby!" She sniffled.

"Okay, sweetheart, just stay calm, I'm coming out."

Joseph looked hopeful at John Henry and Regina and slipped them a scribbled note.

_**"Your omnis were the first to be locked with the coders, PX found a way to trace our team, alerts sent. You are untraceable for now – Be careful, counting on you both!"**_

John Henry crumpled the note and pumped his fist in the air. He grabbed Regina and they disappeared into the cosmos.

-O-

Joseph and Bobby walked out of the office with their hands up high and moved toward the Omnibus. Lorna turned on them with a weapon that resembled a gun, but it was an adjustable laser that could slice through solid steel five feet thick.

"_Well, well, well,_ the 2nd class leader and the big Aussie show their faces. Get on the damn floor! _Now!_"

Lorna took a shot and the laser whizzed over Joseph's head, striking the lighting fixtures. He and Bobby ducked, then laid flat on their stomachs. They noticed that the entire crew was face down on the floor. Joseph peeked at the screen, the red lights from Bogg, Jones, and Olivia's missions were all replaced with green ones. Drake crouched beside them and seized their omnis.

"Don't even think about trying to escape gentlemen, your omnis are currently disabled." He rose up and made an announcement.

"As are _all_ the omnis on the premises! Anyone who attempts to leave Headquarters will be dealt with, and the results will be permanent!"


	5. 1983

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance  
**

**Story II**

**Chapter 5: 1983**

_**New York City, 1983**_

Jeffrey Jones woke up with a headache. He glanced at the television and rolled his eyes. The trashy movie of the week was _still _on and the clueless, hick male model was making it happen with a middle-aged and overly made-up modeling agent.

"This is so stupid, _really_ stupid!"

He flicked the television off with a bitter sigh. Jeffrey preferred to read the books in his father's library for entertainment. Bill Jones, being a history professor, had accumulated volumes of literature on vast subjects. Jeffrey followed in his father's footsteps by having an intense love for history. However, since the horrific crash that killed his parents a year ago, Jeffrey's life changed forever.

The recurring dreams started in the late spring of 1982 and not a night went by that he didn't have one. In the earlier part of '83, the frequency of the dreams increased. Every time he dozed off or took a nap, they would come to him. They always involved the same man, a handsome pirate that was inept at history and had a heart of gold. In his dreams, Jeffrey was his partner and they used a time machine called an 'omni' to correct mistakes in the past.

When the omni was red, there was an error, when they accomplished their mission, the omni light turned green. The same quote played in Jeffrey's head over and over…

_"We travel through time to help history along…give it a push where it's needed."_

On some occasions the words changed to, 'give it a _shove_ where it's needed.' The pirate had a name, reminiscent of the character Phileas Fogg, in Jules Verne's, 'Around the world in eighty days.' His name was _Phineas Bogg_, Voyager class of '70.

_"I'm a Voyager! You ever hear of one? Of course not, no one has. We're the people that are plucked out of time and trained to travel through the ages…"_

And so it went, night after night, that Jeffrey and Bogg would correct mistakes and help some of the most prominent people in history with their inventions, wars, personal problems, and all kinds of derring-do that a thirteen-year-old boy could conjure up. Along the way, they forged a memorable friendship so strong, that Jeffrey would wake up crying because he didn't want the dream to end. Despite his rugged exterior and youth, Phineas Bogg quickly became the father figure and good companion that Jeffrey longed for.

Jeffrey ran to his desk and pulled out his latest marble notebook. He glanced in the drawer amazed, within one year he had filled up fifteen journals recounting his exploits as a 'Voyager.' Jeffrey never wanted to forget these dreams, in case they stopped occurring. He hoped to one day write a book about them or create a cool television show that both kids and adults could enjoy.

No two dreams were alike and the sensations of being in these 'time zones' were more of a reality to him than being in his current home. Jeffrey's aunt Elizabeth and her boyfriend Tom were forced to take him in when Jeffrey's family died. Her only words of remorse for her dead brother to this day were, _"Why did Bill and Kathy have to die?"_ Afterward, the couple proceeded to rant about their trip to Cancun being ruined.

Jeffrey wrote feverishly about his latest exploit with Bogg. They had to save the Brooklyn Bridge from destruction by Bogg's archenemy, Drake. A few months ago, the dreams took on more intensity with the introduction of other Voyagers and two rival groups, one that Bogg became leader of. Jeffrey was able to envision a romance of a lifetime for his friend. She was a beautiful woman they saved as a little girl. That action thrust him and Bogg into rip-roaring adventures that led up to this current dream. When he finally put the pen down he rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock, it was past two a.m.

_"Aww jeesh,_ I got school tomorrow!"

Jeffrey jumped back into bed and pulled the covers over him. His heart pounded in anticipation but sleep eluded him for a little while. His mind wandered to P.S. 182. He couldn't wait to graduate this year and get to eighth grade. The other boys at school called him a 'geek' and a 'weirdo.' Jeffrey was always harassed and came home with black eyes more than once.

"Voyagers never run from a fight!" He once shouted at a towering tough in his gym class. That comment prompted extreme laughter and a toilet dunking. School became a living nightmare. Brushing a few tears away, Jeffrey closed his eyes and waited for Bogg to come to his rescue.

-O-

Elizabeth shook Jeffrey out of bed. "Jeffrey! Get going! You're going to be late. I left you two dollars on the counter. Don't forget Rosita is coming today to clean the apartment. Tom and I are going out to dinner after work, so your going to have to find something to do with yourself."

_'How is that different from any other night?' _Jeffrey wanted to remark, but he didn't. It wouldn't have been a wise move on his part to get Elizabeth's goat, she threatened him with the orphanage one too many times.

"Alright, aunt Elizabeth. I'm going, I'm going."

She poured him a bowl of cornflakes and flung it on the table. "I have to book, I have an early meeting this morning. And would you please _stop _with this 'aunt' stuff, it makes me feel like an old hag!"

"Sorry aun…I mean, sorry Elizabeth, it's just mom and dad taught me to respec…"

"Yeah, thanks, whatever. Big Bill was such a stickler for everything. Listen, I've been meaning to talk to you about school. I've gotten two phone calls in the last three months from some of your teachers. They're giving me crap that you're sleeping in class and doing sloppy homework? What gives, Jeff? I try my best to raise you and this is the thanks I get?"

Elizabeth pushed back her platinum dyed hair and lit a cigarette. Tom waltzed from the bedroom, fumbling with his tacky necktie and reeking of Old Spice. He was a white-collar stuffed shirt on Wall Street and absorbed in himself and fleshly pleasures.

"Thanks _you_ get? What about me? This is _my_ apartment, Liz! Sometimes I feel like all we do is cater to him. I think you should start calling those boarding schools I told you about."

Jeffrey slammed his spoon down, splattering milk all over the black, marble table. "You can't send me to boarding school! I _won't_ go!"

_"Aww,_ what are you going to do about it? You're still a minor and Elizabeth was granted full custody. I'm the man of the house and what I say goes. One more phone call and you're so gone!" Tom warned.

Jeffrey hung his head and wiped up the mess before his aunt flipped out on him. Tom wasn't finished teasing him. "I just got a thought that's even better than boarding school, the Military Academy! I have some buddies down at West Point that will whip you into serious shape. Think about that as you're falling asleep in class, okay, Jeffrey?" He scoffed, trying to eat Elizabeth's dried eggs and burnt toast.

"Alright, I won't sleep in classes anymore, but maybe it's all that noise I hear coming from your room keeping me awake." He retorted.

Elizabeth stubbed her cigarette and put her white leather purse under one arm. _"Oooh,_ very funny brat! Wouldn't you like to know what all that noise is? I know what your problem is. It's those stupid dreams you keep having. Didn't that damn shrink do anything for him, Tom? What the hell were we paying for?"

Jeffrey rolled his eyes and shook his head. Tom paid his shrink, Dr. Littlejohn, one hundred dollars a visit to tell him things he already knew was wrong, but wouldn't fix in his life. Tom felt that the psychologist would be able to cure Jeffrey's dream problem. Jeffrey went along with the whole charade, even pretending to be hypnotized.

The patronizing shrink told Jeffrey Freudian psychobabble and made him take all kinds of personality and Rorschach tests. One time Jeffrey actually made the doctor work overtime by saying every inkblot looked like cosmos and Phineas Bogg holding an omni.

In the final analysis, Dr. Littlejohn told Jeffrey that he went on these nightly 'voyages' because of his intense desire to correct the tragedy in his own life. Since that wasn't possible, he 'invented' these history adventures that would have ultimately made his father proud of him. Phineas Bogg was the catalyst by which he was able to do that. The doctor scrutinized every aspect of his dreams, even suggesting that he might have a sexuality disorder because of his obsession with Bogg.

When prompted to draw the pirate, Jeffrey managed to design a decent likeness. The doctor quickly whipped out the T.V. Guide and pointed to the actor on the cover, he was the latest 'hunk' of the eighties. The similarities to Bogg even surprised Jeffrey, but he knew that Jack Heckson from the silly hick model movie wasn't his inspiration. Phineas Bogg was more flesh and blood to Jeffrey than anyone in the world. Jeffrey stopped going to the psychologist when he lied to his aunt, convincing her that he was _'cured' _from having the dreams.

-O-

Jeffrey boarded the school bus in the rain and sat quiet in the back mulling over his latest dream while the other young teens threw papers, rushed to finish homework and chatted up a storm. The dream ended with his safety, but Bogg had disappeared with the two bombs. His apprehension about Bogg's fate followed him all morning until he came to History class. By now his mind was working on overtime, but his body felt exhausted.

The teacher gave out a rexo sheet and he was about to explain their latest essay assignment. This man loved essays and he actually read each and every one he assigned. Jeffrey really liked this teacher, he sometimes reminded him of his dad. He had a gentle disposition and was excitable when it came to topics of interest. He also had a quirky sense of humor and sharp teaching abilities. He really cared for the well being of all the students and spent a great deal of effort trying to raise the quality of their schooling. In the past few days, Jeffrey kept getting a strange feeling about him. His face seemed very familiar; especially his big, blue eyes, but he couldn't quite place him.

The teacher paced around the room and gestured a lot – it was his way of keeping the student's occupied and focused. "If you could live or travel before our time, who would you be? Would you fight your brother? Or die for the rights of another? Would you find new dreams? Or create new wonders? What would you feel? How would you live? Who would you love? In this essay I want you to bring the past to the present and make the future come alive with all of your _great_ ideas."

Jeffrey's eyes lit up at the prospect of this assignment, he knew with the knowledge he gained from his dreams, that his report was sure to get an 'A.' The bell rang and everyone scurried to leave for the day. Thankfully, History was Jeffrey's last period. He made his way to the side exit of the building, only to be stopped in the empty stairwell by a small gang of boys. The towering tough, Ryan, was the leader. As Jeffrey approached, he was shoved backwards onto the stairs. The impact hurt him, but he pretended it was nothing. Jeffrey attempted to walk past again, but this time they surrounded him.

"Did you think that was funny in gym today, Jones? Throwing the dodge ball at my head? I'm gonna rough you up for that one!"

Jeffrey decided he wasn't going to be afraid of these bullies. "That was an accident, maybe your big head was in the way of the ball. I'd like to see you try and rough me up, crater face!"

Ryan took a swing at him and Jeffrey ducked, jumping backwards in a karate stance.

"You better watch it!…_uhh_.…these hands are licensed weapons on five continents, _clown!_"

The boys busted out laughing and Jeffrey felt very stupid. That move once worked for Bogg…or was it another one? When Ryan went to ram him, Jeffrey grabbed his arms and flung him around, and Ryan landed on his back with a grunt. That was the move.

"Get him!" The bully shouted humiliated.

Jeffrey raced down the steps and out of the building. He ran toward the school-parking garage. He forced himself to ignore the stitch in his side. The rain came down in sheets and as he slid on the wet pavement, he nearly knocked into his History teacher.

"Jeff, slow down what's the matter?" The older man grabbed his arms to steady him.

"Can't talk now! Gotta run!" Jeffrey tried to get away, but the teacher held his collar.

"You're soaked, take this." He handed him a large, red umbrella. "Why are you…?" The teacher heard the gang coming in behind Jeffrey and he stood his ground with a fierce expression. They all slammed into each other.

"What do you think you're doing?"

_"Umm, uhhh,_ nothing…we…_we…_were just trying to find Jeff to…_uh_…tell him what a great game he played in gym…right guys?" Ryan stuttered.

They all nodded in unison.

"Is that so, Mr. Wallace? Maybe your mother would like to hear about how much you love running around in the rain without an umbrella or a coat…_maybe_ she would also like to hear how you've been _cutting my class!"_ The teacher roared, and they all leaped back.

"You better leave Jeffrey Jones alone, or else you're gonna deal with me, got it?"

They all nodded again. The teacher smiled sweetly and then his eyes flared.

"_GET OUT!"_

Every boy scattered across the garage. Jeffrey stood with an overwhelming sense of relief. The teacher turned to him, his temper calmed.

"Hey, Jeff, I don't think those rats will pick on you again, but if they do, you can always tell me. The Principal and I are buddies. I used to hate guys like them when I was in school. They always said I was a geek. I don't know, maybe I was, but at least now I'm a geek making a difference."

When his teacher looked at him sympathetic, something in his mind clicked and he staggered against the blue Volkswagen. Jeffrey couldn't control the shaking in his voice.

"Mr…_Mr. Saunders_…I really…I really need to talk to you…I…need your…_help_…"

Jeffrey dropped the umbrella and fainted in Jeremy's arms.


	6. Kayla's plight

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 6: Kayla's plight**

**_New York City, 1951_**

Kayla Sheppard picked up the worn red book and thumbed through its yellowed pages. She started keeping a diary of her experiences at Wayside Orphanage when she was eight years old. She looked at her early scribbling and laughed a little, and then she came to a fateful date, _February 17th 1941._ She read the passage and her heart pounded, small beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. She often experienced that reaction whenever she came across it.

_"Today 2 bad men chase me, they want my daddys compass. My mommy gave it a funny name, she sad it's 'the ommy' Mommy is gone now cuz she got a cold and sik. I hid in the box of stinky fish until they didn't find me, but they almos did it! I cant find Artie anymore cuz no one wuz home. He went away and dint come back. I wish I went with him."_

"God, didn't anyone teach me how to spell?"

Kayla snapped the book shut and wiped stray tears. A piece of paper fell out and she opened it. It was a drawing she made the night after the men chased her. In the drawing, little Kayla stood proud between two people. One was a tall stick figure with a very square face, a lot of blonde hair and big blue eyes; the other was a little boy stick figure with curly black hair and a red and white striped shirt. Kayla remembered when she tried her best to draw them and the other orphans complained she used up the red and black crayons.

In her dream they had saved her from the bad men and then she got to live with an inventor named Artie Houlihan. She would never forget the beautiful pirate that saved her from drowning. She read the scrawled names underneath.

'_Phinnys Bogg Me an Jeffy Joens, My Bestt frends Forever and ever and ever.'_

Since that date, Kayla continued to have odd dreams about her and Artie living in his old Brownstone. He would teach her a lot of things on a machine that was vaguely like a typewriter in concept, but much more technologically advanced. In her dreams she learned how the 'ommy' worked too. When she woke up, the dreams would fade with the sound of the headmistress' harsh calls over the loudspeaker. Her most treasured memory was when Phineas tucked her into a large, soft, bed, fluffed her pillows, and gave her a big hug because she was crying. She tried to remember him even now, his bright smile and intense eyes, which he often winked at her in amusement.

Kayla picked up the brass compass from her tiny nightstand and gazed at it for the millionth time. The Headmistress had only recently given it back to her. The sheen it once had was dulled and there were scratches on its face. She never understood why those men wanted it so much and she later realized that it was called 'omni.' The little boy in her dreams was named 'Jeffrey' and he taught her the correct name. He and Phineas carried one too. She thought hard about the conversation she and Jeffrey had and he told her what the omni was used for.

_"If I tell you, you have to promise never to tell anyone that you know, and don't let on to Bogg or Artie that you do either."_

A loud knock on the door broke her thoughts. She finished buckling her belt and threw on her white blouse.

"Come in!"

The headmistress entered the room; her stern face betrayed no emotions. "Are you almost through packing, Kayla? I have to have this room ready for the next child."

Kayla sat on the squeaky bed and put on her saddle shoes, tying them tight. "Yes Miss Crawley, I'm ready." She gave the room one last glance and picked up her knapsack.

"I know this is a hard, sad day for you, but like all the children here, once you turn eighteen it's time to go, you understand?"

Kayla looked her in the eye. "Yes, I do. I'm glad to be going, it's time to start my _life_ out there in the world."

_"Hmm, _the City is cold, but we've managed to secure you a position at a library in your new neighborhood if you want it. That's the best we can do for now, oh, here's your money."

Miss Crawley handed her an envelope with fifty dollars inside, it was money, she said, to help her get a small place to live. It was a meager amount that would be spent in less than a week. Kayla already settled her first apartment, a little studio basement on the lower east side in a building that was a real blower-upper. She was glad it was still summertime, because come winter she would probably freeze to death in there. She pocketed the money and gave her a wry look.

"Gee, thanks, Crawley, I guess I can give Daddy Warbucks a call and we'll do lunch."

The headmistress narrowed her eyes and stepped away from the doorway so Kayla could leave the room.

"You always did have a fresh mouth, didn't you? Why should you feel so sad? All those nights you were caught sneaking back _inside_ the orphanage? Lord only knows what you were doing out there. Maybe that's why no one took you in!"

Kayla stopped in her tracks and looked down at the green and black tiled floor. She held back from lashing out. The woman had a point. Kayla often ran away, and when she hit her teens she started making all sorts of friends on the outside. They all loved partying and flirting with the boys. When the fun ended late in the evening they had the luxury to run home to their mothers and warm beds. Kayla had to sneak back into the orphanage by climbing up the drainpipe and through the rickety fire escape. Sometimes the other girls would spitefully lock the windows and she would be caught huddled outside in the morning. She always tried to get away from that cruel world she called home. Now came her true freedom, no more scrubbing dirty toilets and making lice ridden beds. She would no longer spend her evenings washing soiled sheets and cooking tasteless food. Kayla started out the front entrance and gave a look back to her and the cold, gray building.

"You know what? The truth is, I just don't belong here, I never did. I'm meant for better things! I want to thank you for toughening me up for the cold, mean, streets, because that's probably where I'll wind up anyway. Oh well, it's been fun! _Toodles!"_

Before she could hear any replies, Kayla ran off to the subway, she rarely cried in front of the employees of the orphanage and she was not about to now. Kayla didn't go home right away, she took the train to the South Street Seaport area and wandered around the docks. She came here all the time, because this was the place in her dream. This dock was where her shining knight saved her life ten years ago. She looked at the towering crates and gulped, remembering how the young boy Jeffrey helped her climb to the top. That one dream was the most vivid she ever had and she could almost swear it had really occurred.

The sad reality was that the two brutes chased her here and she had no outside help. She managed to find a crate of fish and hid inside. She would never forget the stench on her afterward and the big stink the orphanage made too, partially because she had fooled them again with her escape. Kayla giggled in spite of herself. That morning she had 'borrowed' Crawley's radio to listen to her favorite program, 'Little Orphan Annie.' Annie was a mop headed orphan like she was, and in her latest adventure she escaped by hiding in the laundry cart. Kayla was inspired to do the same and it worked, until the men in the black car came after her. When Kayla managed to get to Artie's Brownstone, she found the place sealed tight, and no one ever returned. She remembered how much she cried on the stoop that day.

"No wonder I had such a kooky dream about it. Hot damn! Where were you, Artie? Where you even real?" she whispered to the ocean.

There was one concept that Kayla remembered Artie telling her in her dreams, 'Time Travel.' The omni was a device by which a person could be sent through a wormhole in the cosmos to any date and place of their choosing. The man, Phineas Bogg, and his partner, Jeffrey Jones, were two of these so-called time travelers, known as _'Voyagers.'_

Kayla repeated Phineas' name over and over and opened her omni. The area with the two lights remained dark. She fiddled with the dials and the globe and pushed the activator button on top, nothing happened. The whole thing was ridiculous, a fairy tale that she designed for herself to keep her mind active and distracted as a child. She took a last look at the device and then threw it hard on the dock. Just as she turned to leave, she heard a strange buzzing; she looked down and saw the omni's red light blinking.

"Oh boy, what the heck did I do?"

Kayla almost didn't want to touch it, but she picked it up. She looked around fearfully, then closed it and ran.

-O-

When Kayla arrived at her apartment, she was ready for a long nap; however, her instincts told her something wasn't right. She crept down the four stone steps to the chipped blue front door and put her ear to it. From inside, she heard a low rustling and a shiver crept up her back. The landlord told her that she was the only one who would have the key aside from him. She pulled it out with shaking hands.

"That's who it is…the landlord is there and he's just checking things out for me." She tried to convince herself.

She didn't see movement behind the shade and she put the key in the door. She walked into the semi-furnished room and wrinkled her nose from the damp odor, assuming there was mold growing under the old, blue rug. She let out a groan; she was going to have to clean this place from top to bottom. When she flicked on the light, thick layers of dust settled on every surface and cobwebs hung limp in the corners. She moved into the tiny kitchen space and took note of a small, greased up oven, a scratched porcelain sink that could fit two plates, and an icebox that leaked. She dropped her knapsack on the couch and grimaced at the shabby flower pattern. Faded yellow wallpaper peeled off every wall. She sank into the cushion and let out a yelp when a spring poked her backside.

"Home sweet home! _'Just a little dusting' _he says!" She complained. The room had one closet, but when she tried to open it, the door jammed. She went further down the small hallway, dreading to check the little bathroom a few feet away. She held her breath and walked in, nearly tripping over the big tiled step at the foot of the door.

"All bow down to the queen as she _steps up_ to her throne!" She muttered. "I guess that's kind of quirky. This room isn't so bad."

Kayla was no stranger to foul odors and she lifted the lid of the toilet seat, rust accumulated around the inside among other deposits. She removed the lid to the tank and gasped at the black sludge that threatened to crawl out and devour her. She slammed it down and opened the tiny window adjacent to the toilet to air out the bathroom. She turned around and examined the shower stall. It was a small one with no bathtub. She grabbed the molded maroon curtains and shook her head. The fifty dollars would have to be spent on cleaning supplies for this apartment alone.

"No way, this thing has got to go!" She yanked it off irritable.

_"Boo!"_

Kayla screamed and fell back into the toilet seat, there was a man in her shower – A large man dressed in black with leather gloves and big mirrored sunglasses. Kayla sprinted to the door and ran smack into another man with wild red hair and wearing a dirty sweatshirt. The man reached out to grab her and she shoved him against the opposite wall.

"Stop her, Red! Don't let her leave this place!"

Red threw himself across the rug and knocked her onto the couch with a sadistic smile.

"Get off of me you creep! Get off! _Help! Hel…!"_

He put his ruddy hand over her mouth. "This one is feisty, and what a looker, right Dean?"

"She sure is, I don't think I want to kill her _too _fast…" Dean said, hovering over her.

Red put his hand on her inner thigh and she kicked at him. she thrashed around until he loosened his grip and then she bit his hand. However, Dean grabbed her shoulders from behind, holding her down.

"Be a good girl, Kayla! It will all be over before you know it, besides…you don't really exist anyway, so…_this_ isn't really happening."

Kayla's eyes grew huge as she noticed Red tussle with his pants. She screamed again.

"Don't touch me! _Don't touch me!" _She wept in near hysterics.

She managed to lift her arm and belt him across the face, and then she kicked him again, hard in the groin. Red grabbed himself and nearly fell off the couch. Kayla crawled to the door, she felt the brass gadget hitting her waist.

_"…what's it called again, an ommy?"_

_"No, it's an __omni. It can take us to any time zone in history we want; when there's something wrong, it blinks red, when it's back to normal, it rings green."_

Jeffrey Jones' voice rang loud and clear in her ears. This time zone was _wrong!_ The light was red at the docks and none of this should have been happening. Dean grabbed her legs, dragging her across the carpet.

"Not so fast, Princess! We haven't had our fun yet!"

He was trying to pull at her jeans and Red kicked her in the stomach to keep her from fighting them again.

"How do you like it?_ Tramp!" _He winced, still holding himself from the pain.

She grabbed at her stomach wanting to vomit, then clawed her nails into the rug. She continued to scream and cry as Dean climbed over her. She choked from the stress and cried out.

"Please! Work!_ Oh God, Work! Take me somewhere safe!_"

She pushed the activator button and she and Dean hurled through the cosmos.

-O-

Loud and boisterous singing echoed across the picturesque shoreline; two young men ran along, dragging a hefty sail behind them. Not far ahead, a pretty, twelve-year-old blonde girl skipped barefoot, dancing through the waves and picking up seashells. She couldn't hear the singing, but she imagined it was fun and spirited from the happy expressions on her older brother's handsome face and the laughter of his good-looking Italian friend.

_"With women and wine I defy every care, for life without these is a bubble of air! For life without these, for life without these, for life without these, is a bubble of air! Each helping the other in pleasure I roll, and a new flow of spirits enlivens my soul, each helping the other in pleasure I roll, and a new flow of spirits enlivens my soul!"_

"Phineas! You rapscallion! If your mother heard you singing these songs, she'd cut out your tongue!" his friend warned. Phineas ignored him and kicked up his heels, doing a back flip in the sand.

"Oh, Vinchenzo! You've been hanging around my father too long! Where's your spirit?"

"Spirit indeed! I'm the one who taught you that song, you rogue!"

Phineas put his arm around his friend in peals of more laughter. "So you did! That and _many_ others! I thank you!"

They stopped to rest by a mass of rocks and Phineas jumped onto the highest one, pretending to lose his balance. His sister called out to him nervous.

"Ph..Phinus! Not good…_down!"_ She managed to say.

He ran off the rocks and kissed the top of her head. "Very good, my Joanna, keep using your words."

When he spoke to her, he looked directly into her face, so she could see his mouth move. This enabled her to read his lips and she learned how to do it with ease. Sometimes Joanna would put her fingers on his mouth to match the sounds coming out, and he would repeat what he said slowly so she can see how his lips formed the words. Phineas sprinted back to the rocks, while Vinchenzo sat down and began cutting the excess canvas off the sails.

"Will you get over here and do your share of this work, Phineas? I practically made this sail myself for all the help you've been! _Che il nervo! Tutto faccio intorno qui e lei saltella appena e balla!"_

Phineas cupped his ear at him. "What Vinchenzo? What?" He asked with a devilish grin.

"I_ said, _you have a lot of nerve, making me do all the work while you just dance around! Come now, your father needs this done within the hour. If you don't come down I will chip that other tooth! I told you Lissandra was spoken for!"

"Phooey on Lissandra! She's nothing but a tart! I can't believe we almost lost our friendship because of her."

Phineas threw out his arms, allowing the brisk winds to gust over him. His disheveled hair blew all over his face and his white shirt billowed out. He stepped up higher on the largest rock.

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel into the heavens, Vinchenzo? I don't mean Heaven itself, but into the stars and beyond!"

"Phineas, there is plenty good to do and see down here on earth. I think I would get bored up there flying around…come on…good food, good wine…good _women…"_

They looked at each other slyly and then sang loud in unison.

_"Some say women are like the seas, some the waves, and some the rocks, some the rose that soon decays; Some the weather and some the cocks; But if you'll give me leave to tell, there's nothing can be compar'd so well as wine! Wine! Women and wine! They run in parallel, they run in parallel!"_

Phineas took a flying jump off the rocks, flipping in mid-air and making a steady landing on a small sand bank. Vinchenzo clapped and whistled.

"One of these days you must teach me how that's done, but for now I must teach_ you_ how to tie a sail, these knots are terrible!"

Phineas joined his friend and finished his task. "Just you wait, Vinchenzo! I'm going to soar beyond the stars, and travel the world over, to lands unseen and unknown!"

"You are a dreamer, Phineas! Or perhaps I'm just too practical for my own good? Would you mind a partner in your travels? You need someone to keep your head on straight." He grinned.

"Sure! Why not? Everyone needs support. Just think, Vinchenzo! Servant to no man! We can _be anything_, _do anything_…we'll call ourselves_…Voyagers!_"

"Voyagers!" He echoed. "Your father would like that one, maybe he'll give you '_The Voyager'_ to sail away." Vinchenzo laughed some more at his friend's wild ideas.

-O-

Joanna scouted along the other side of the rock mass. She didn't hear the loud splash into the cold waves a few feet out to sea or the struggle that ensued. She saw a big horseshoe crab and backed away in fright. Phineas would always pick them up and chase her across the beach. She happened to glance at the water, and covered her mouth in horror. A pretty young girl was trying to fight off a big man and it looked like he was hurting her. She shrieked for her brother.

"Phin..Phinus! _Help!_ Help the girl! _Vinnie! Help!"_

Phineas and Vinchenzo dropped the sail and clamored over the rocks to Joanna, it was then they heard and saw the fighting in the rising tide.

"We must save her!" Phineas took a running dive into an oncoming wave and sprinted through the water toward them. Vinchenzo followed, trying to keep pace with his friend's lithe stamina.

Dean grabbed Kayla's waist and the back of her neck and shoved her under the water; she was extremely dizzy from the sudden and amazing flight they took through space and she struggled to hold her breath. Her fighting slowed and Dean knew she was losing consciousness, however, he wouldn't release his powerful hold on her.

_"Damn!_ I should take her omni before its too late!" He yelled and reached out to grab it.

Vinchenzo threw himself headfirst into the young woman's attacker; he was just as tall as the man and carried more bulk than Phineas for the job. Dean was caught unawares and his body was thrown deeper into the surf.

Kayla felt a sharp relief when Dean let go of her head, she tried to rise up, but a large wave knocked her over, dragging her sputtering and crying across sharp, jagged seashells of the ocean floor. She managed to get upon her knees, but another wave pushed her under the water. She felt someone grab her again and bring her to the surface. Saltwater stung her eyes and pain attacked her stomach. She feebly punched at the person, thinking it was her attacker, but he clenched her hands, talking to her in deep, soothing tones.

"Don't fight anymore, I won't hurt you. You're safe now…just keep calm."

Phineas had never seen a young woman in such a deplorable condition and he almost wanted to cry for her. He pulled her close, offering her the support of his chest and shoulders. She was petite and nestled snug into his arms. He staggered with her to the shore and lay her upon the sand. He brushed tendrils of light brown hair out of her face and studied her. Despite the bruises and scrapes, she was beautiful and he smiled. When she opened her turquoise eyes, his heart soared. Their gazes locked and he lowered his lips toward hers, caught up in whirlwinds of emotions. She raised her hand and brushed his cheek. He soon heard his friend calling for help.

Joanna came to Phineas' side and pushed him away to help Vinchenzo, she took a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed the woman's cheeks and forehead where blood trickled out of her cuts.

_"Damn you!_ Don't you understand! She can't live! _She can't live!"_ Dean yelled, while struggling in Vinchenzo's arms.

"You tyrant! You animal! I want to destroy you for this!" Phineas carried on in a fury.

He grabbed the man's neck and shook it. Seeing red, he would have choked him, had Vinchenzo not interfered. Phineas pushed him aside and punched Dean in his face and stomach. Dean, sensing defeat, threw himself under the water and pushed his omni.

_"Arrr! _I'm not finished with you! You blaggard!" Phineas dove under, but could find no trace of him. Vinchenzo pulled Phineas up and roused him to his senses.

"Get a hold of yourself, man! Let him be, he's not going to be hurting anyone now! Phineas, stop!"

Phineas lowered his head breathless, and then looked to the shoreline. He tore back to his sister's side. Vinchenzo followed, but didn't come too close; he did not want to scare the woman. Bruises swelled on his own face and he wiped his bloody nose. Phineas lifted Kayla from off Joanna's lap. He noticed the brass compass on her belt loop and looked at it quizzically. He wondered if the 'V' stood for her initial.

"_Time waits for no man._ Strange. True, but strange. Maybe not if this is a clock." He wondered.

There were no sea vessels close enough to this area for her to have fallen overboard…unless she drifted on a piece of wood. The device was probably worth its weight in gold because the brute was ready to kill her for it. It must have been the key to why she was attacked. He shifted her in his arms.

"She is passed out, it's a miracle she is not dead. Come on, we have to get her to the manor."

Vinchenzo came up to get a better glimpse of her and thought she was lovely. "She may not be an English woman, Phineas, perhaps Italiano? I will translate if necessary."

"I don't think that's necessary, she doesn't quite look Italian, hey, maybe she is Norwegian like me! Then I could definitely translate."

"Surely, if you only want to tell her your name, and hello and goodbye." Vinchenzo mocked him.

The young men eyed each other with creeping hints of rivalry, but then let it fade. Vinchenzo ran behind Joanna, no one had paid any mind to her and she had been crying. He swooped her up and onto his shoulders and her tears turned to laughter.

As they continued along the beach, Kayla raised her eyes once to stare at the young man who rescued her. He looked down surprised at her quick recovery. His crystal blue eyes gazed at her and a warm smile enveloped his youthful face.

"Just keep still my lady, that vermin is gone now. He'll not hurt you again or else _he'll feel my wrath." _He quoted his father's oft-used expression. His father had a lot of wrath to go around against the injustices he discovered.

Kayla thought she was imagining everything, but the potency of the beach smells and the pain her body experienced was all too real. The young man was no more than nineteen and smaller in physique than she remembered. His nose was a little wider from having been broken. She felt the back of his shaggy hair; it grew past his neck in thick waves. She moved her arms tighter around him. A desirable tingle ran up Phineas' back as her fingers passed over a hidden soft spot. He laughed awkwardly and winked at her. Kayla was too astounded and hurt to speak. She was in the arms of young Phineas Bogg, the Voyager of her dreams.


	7. Blowing in the wind

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II  
**

**Chapter 7: Blowing in the wind**

The sandy colored mutt sniffed the remains of the hot dog and dug his cold, wet nose into a half eaten bag of potato chips. This was a satisfactory lunch. Suddenly, a piercing whistle stopped his foraging. His ears perked up and he howled as two people landed onto the trash pile alongside him. The dog took off running as they rolled off the trash bags with groans of displeasure.

_"Hot damn!_ Leave it to us to land in a pile of garbage. Ya think they could have sent us first class in that fancy dancy material something machine they all got!"

"Babe, sometimes we have to stick to the _old fashioned_ way, you always tell me that. What does the omni read?"

John Henry flicked it off his belt loop and checked. "Right on target, New York City, March 15th 1983…Red light and it's about to pour…that's just great. We should have asked about the weather. The wind's might fierce too."

Regina looked at him and frowned. She was stuck between two big black bags and the clichéd pieces of lettuce leaves were caught in her teased hair.

"Do you mind, Baby? I'm trapped here."

"Oh! Sorry, doll!" John Henry pulled her out of the muck.

"John, we're going to have to get some new clothes." She eyed his white t-shirt, brown leather jacket and jeans; the dark, tan cowboy boots were an added bonus. "Well, you look just _fine,_ but I need something else."

John Henry rolled his eyes; he knew exactly what this meant, tagging along while she hit the clothing shops.

"Alright, darlin' but make it quick, we gotta find little Jeff."

"Hey, this is my decade, I know _exactly_ what to get."

-O-

Regina adjusted the collar of her blue jumpsuit and buttoned her denim jacket. She remembered having an outfit just like it back home in Los Angeles. She and John Henry walked up and down Fifth Avenue for the last half hour without the slightest clue on where to find Jeffrey Jones. The sky overhead turned black and a burst of thunder broke loose. Regina jumped and grabbed his arm, she pointed to a swanky building across the Avenue.

"Hey, let's go in here, _The Muse_ Hotel, it looks kind of artsy to me. We can get out of the rain, and have a place to think about our next move."

"You've got all the answers, darlin', but what about the funds?"

Regina pulled out a small black wallet and flashed him a green and white plastic card. "Never leave home without it!" She smiled.

John Henry examined it puzzled. "Back where I come from this wouldn't get you a can of beans, much less a hotel room. I don't understand the future sometimes."

"Yeah, well where I come from credit cards are the cash of the future, buy now, and pay later."

"Sounds pretty greedy to me, stock up on all the material goods you don't need, then get stuck with the bill! I can't imagine the interest. It's like digging your own grave."

"It could be, I know I was three-feet under already, but we don't have to worry about it…provided we don't go crazy. VHQ somehow picks up the tab, I asked around the finance department. _Oooh, _get the door for her."

John Henry grabbed the glass door and held it steady. A young woman with platinum blonde hair rushed in from a cigarette break. Regina noticed she wore formal attire and had a 'Muse' name card. They approached the front desk and waited to be assisted by her. She acknowledged them with a scowl.

"Can I help you? I hope you weren't just waiting for me, because even though I was behind the desk, I was still on break."

Regina was sorry she asked her husband to be so polite. She firmly stared her down when she noticed the woman twirl her hair and lick her lips while giving John Henry the once over.

"Just a room, please, _Elizabeth_, for one night, _one_ bed, king size." Regina announced.

The snobby woman punched in the information, swiped the credit card and handed them the keys. Her phone rang and she picked it up annoyed. After listening, her eyes narrowed and she shrilly ranted.

"What do you mean the principal called you, Tom? Jeffrey was fighting with other boys again?"

John Henry's ears perked up and he nudged his wife. They leaned in closer to try and hear more of the conversation and Elizabeth turned her back to them.

"I'm telling you, that kid is getting on my last nerve! When I get home I want you to discipline him…I _don't care_ if Bill and Kathy never hit him! That's probably why he's so damn spoiled…my father hit me and Bill all the time…oh will you stop with the psychology garbage, every kid needs a good crack once in a while, it keeps them in line…yeah, well if they knew he was fighting why didn't they stop it?"

Regina was getting antsy; She had to be absolutely sure the phone call was regarding Jeffrey _Jones_. Bill and Kathy were the names of Jeffrey's parents, so they had to be on the right track. The couple pretended to pick up brochures and continued to linger around the front desk.

"…And _another_ thing, that little brat lied to me about his dreams. I saw his notebook this morning, something about bombs on the Brooklyn Bridge and everything with that pirate guy…what was his name again…_Boog_…Bogg! Oh, nice to see you pay attention. What did Bill leave us here, a little terrorist? We'll talk about it tonight, just pick me up at six alright? I can totally hear the orphanage calling his name. I mean it this time!"

The Voyagers looked at each other and walked away from the desk, they were right on target with Elizabeth, she was Jeffrey's aunt.

"Poor Jeffrey! We can't keep him with those monsters." Regina said.

John Henry stroked her back. "You ain't lying. Hey, we fix all this and it will never happen this way, hon."

They rode up the elevator and entered the large room; it was decorated with modern art furnishings, much to John Henry's displeasure.

"Hey Reg, I feel like I'm in a nursery! Everything is white, yellow, red, green and blue!" He tossed a green pillow in the air with a huff.

_"Ohh_, the catalog says this is the deluxe King, we have the _Piet Mondrian_ suite."

"Leave it to the French to make stuff like this." John Henry mumbled as he climbed onto the bed. It was sturdy enough to his liking.

"He was Dutch, John."

"Oh…well leave it to the Europeans then! I ain't never seen designs like this out West!"

Regina adjusted the yellow curtains, and looked down at the rain-slicked avenue. The extravagant signs for the Broadway shows were beginning to light up the city. She noticed a blonde man pacing on the opposite side of the street, smoking a cigarette. Another man in a brown trench coat, round, dark sunglasses, and a fedora hat came and they struck up a conversation. The rain fell in sheets and kept distorting her view. A large garbage truck eventually pulled up and they were gone. She pulled the curtain down. John Henry's face was half smothered into a red pillow and he had kicked his boots off.

"Hey partner, we're not here to rest, we have to find Jeffrey, remember?"

"I know, but you heard the lady, we have to wait until six. Her man's gonna come pick her up and we have to follow them."

"I figured that much, but how are we going to get Jeffrey?"

"We have to find a way to get his attention. Remember she said Jeffrey has a notebook and writes about his adventures. I'm sure he knows some things. All we have to do is mention Phineas Bogg and the Brooklyn Bridge. That should get him talking." John Henry sat up and snapped his fingers.

"Hey, he may just remember us! We were there too, ya know? We might have been in his dreams."

"That's a good thought. I hope so!" Another disconcerting thought occurred to Regina and she laid down next to her husband with her hands behind her head.

"John, when we left, the OCC was taken hostage. Have you heard anything at all from Joseph, any messages on the communicator? I haven't."

"Not a peep. Believe me I'm worried too, but those guys know how to handle themselves. Bobby's as big as I am and Joe knows some of that Chinese fightin'. He made all us guys learn it…_uhh,_ and you ladies of course."

"It's more than that, John. Lorna and Drake have weapons on them. And what about the rest of the group? What's going on with them?"

"There's no telling what right now. I can only hope Paradox doesn't find any of them. A lot of them were out in the field when we left. We have the upper hand, our omnis can't be tracked…I hope."

John Henry wanted to change the subject; Regina could go on for hours when she was troubled by situations. He sank lower into the pillows and played with her soft hair.

"So, this is your era, the _Big Eighties? _You were working at a movie theater in Los Angeles at this time right?"

"Yes! I'm probably there right now, complaining with popcorn in my hair and a broom in hand. Those kids left everything such a mess. We had to wear little red uniforms, I didn't look too bad in mine."

"Ha! I bet you didn't, you have that commanding nature for one."

_"Oh_, John! You know, by the time the Voyagers took me, I was finished with that place, it was nineteen eighty-six and I was twenty-four years old. I was driving along the coast and this truck was heading straight for my convertible, he was in the wrong lane. I was scared to death and there was nowhere to turn or anything."

Her eyes grew wider with the memory and John Henry pulled her close. She rested her face on his chest.

"The sound was incredible, the screeching brakes, his horn, mine, I literally felt the impact, but when I came to I was in Headquarters. I figured it was a local hospital and that I was alive."

She sat up and looked at him with tender affection. "You were the first person I remember seeing, John."

"Was I? Not a doctor or nothin'?"

"No…you. I saw you coming out of the room across from mine and I called out to you for help."

"I remember, I just finished taking my physical and I heard you crying. I had heard rumor around omni town that some new people were brought in but I didn't know whom. And there you were, a little more worse for wear, but _beautiful_ just the same." He grinned.

Regina toyed with the buttons of his shirt, lost in her memory._ "Omni town?_ You're so cute. You came to my room every day after that. I'll never forget waking up the next morning to a huge bouquet of yellow roses and the little card that said, '_Rise and shine, darlin'.' _That was the nicest gift I've ever received. You are quite a charmer when you want to be, Mr. Sheppard."

"Hey, you didn't make it too easy for me, Mrs. Sheppard, you and your _modern_ sensibilities! Roping cows during a stampede was easier work than winning your affections."

"Was I_ that_ bad? I'm not one to wear my heart on my sleeve. I wanted to see how much you cared. Believe me, I was hooked from day one, I just hid it well."

John Henry nuzzled her neck and kissed her earlobe. "Glad we hung in there. I nearly cried the day you graduated and went out into the field, I was scared to death for ya."

Regina stroked his beard stubble and kissed his lips. "You know…I found it a little odd how you would somehow show up on my missions from time to time, particularly the _dangerous_ ones. You were like my guardian angel. I didn't mind too much after a while." She blushed.

_"Well…_I have to admit this. Bernard Wolfstein was able to give me a tracer that he connected to your omni. Don't ask me how he did it though. He said, _"Who am I to stand in the way of true love?"_ That kid is brilliant!"

Regina sat up, shocked. "You went through all that trouble for _me?_"

"Yeah, you! And what trouble? When a man is in love, he has to show it somehow! The only way I could was by finding you through the vast universe of time and space, I'd call that love, wouldn't you?"

Regina laughed and kissed him desirably. "I certainly would, _pardner…"_

-O-

The blonde man's hand shook and rattled the coffee cup, spilling its contents onto the diner table. The taller, handsome man in the trench coat rolled his hazel eyes and wiped it up.

"Dammit, Dwight! Knock it off! What's wrong with you? I can't believe Lorna picked _you_ of _all_ Voyagers to be head of this excursion. I think she's just setting you up for failure. Besides, she's knows you're going to ask me how to run everything anyway."

"Billy, I can't help it, I'm nervous. I was never in charge of anything like this before. How are we going to find that kid? This is a city of millions."

Billy pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket with scrawled notes and read over them.

"Some leader you are! At least I did my homework. We have his whole history right here; his aunt and Uncle Elizabeth and Tom Covington took him in. I used my brains and a little thing called the 'Yellow Pages' to get the right address. Only thing is, they aren't home right now. The omni dropped us off right here, in front of this hotel."

"But nobody's here!"

"We know the omni never misses the mark. I heard that hot woman with the cig talking out front, one of the other chicks called her Liz, we're on target, trust me."

Billy ate his apple pie and ice cream while Dwight glanced around nervous every time someone entered the diner.

"You…you don't think she has someone spying on us, do you? I mean she's done it before, remember James? He was caught screwing around and she had him sent on a 'special' mission to the top of the Twin Towers in 2001, I don't know why though, he never came back again."

"I do but I'm not telling you, so you won't act any more idiotic! James deserved what he got, now will you _quit it,_ Dwight. I need to think."

"We're probably going to have to get rid of the whole family, if we have to." Dwight mused.

"I know how much you love doing dirty work like that, you'll get your chance." Billy yawned, and finished off the pie.

A low beeping sounded from inside Dwight's coat and he froze. "Its her, checking in."

"Well, answer it!"

Dwight made his way to the bathroom. He locked the door and took the call, he tried to control his quivering voice. "Th…this is Voyager 1999 calling in, what's the message?"

"Dwight? It's Lorna, what's the good news?"

"Lorna, we made contact with Elizabeth Covington, Jeffrey's aunt. She works at 'The Muse hotel.' Billy has his current address."

"Very good, I knew putting you two_ together_ would work out. However, I have a new assignment for you. Drake was reviewing the time line and he came across something interesting. We finally found Jeremy Saunders, he's alive and well in 1983, teaching at the same school Jones attends."

"That's great Lorna! We went to the school, but it was too late, after four o'clock. It's getting close to six now. We're just killing time in a diner."

"Let's hope you can kill _more_ than time Dwight, Do you understand me?"

"I read you loud and clear."

"Contact me as soon as it's all accomplished."

Dwight went back to the table; Billy stood by the entrance. "Let's get out of here and get to the apartment before they do. We'll give them a nice surprise."

The two Voyagers laughed and hailed a cab.

-O-

Jeremy watched the boy shift in his sleep – he was dreaming. He pulled the quilt over him and went to the kitchen and poured vegetable soup into two bowls and cut up some cheese sandwiches. He didn't have time to do the grocery shopping he wanted. He walked over to his stereo and flipped through his records. He had a preference for Folk-rock and decided on _'_Peter, Paul and Mary'. Somehow, _'Blowing in the wind'_ seemed appropriate and he kept it on low, singing along softly as he finished setting the table.

"_How many roads must a man walk down, before you can call him a man? How many seas must a white dove sail, before she sleeps in the sand? How many times must the cannonballs fly, before they're forever banned? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; the answer is blowing in the wind."_

_'There's too many answers left blowing in the wind.'_ He thought.

Lightening flashed and thunder rattled the windows, Jeffrey stirred and opened his eyes, frightened. He sat up and saw his history teacher stirring a pot: the aroma smelled delicious. The Music his parents used to enjoy played from the stereo system. Jeffrey sat back until Jeremy finished the song; He had a very soothing voice, baritone and scratchy at certain moments, but it only added to his unique style. He liked it. Jeffrey distinctly remembered Jeremy Saunders now; only he was just twenty years old when they first met.

* * *

_"Hey! You're the legendary Jeffrey Jones, Voyager M.I.A! Welcome back, they're singing your praises down at HQ for what you did to Jack Temple."_

_"Yeah, I guess that's me, it was cool meeting Bogg's family though, are you a Voyager Aide too?"_

_"Yup, and I just got my I.D card a few months ago. Kayla's the big brass here, and I'm the flunky, but my official title is 'Omni Technician.' I need to make business cards, 'Jeremy Saunders, O.T.' has a nice ring, doesn't it?"_

* * *

Jeremy was a partner with the beautiful woman Bogg loved, he was a cool guy and they had deciphered a special code.

"Machiavelli." Jeffrey said aloud.

Jeremy put the pot down in the center of the table and looked up surprised. "Excuse me?"

"The code word for Drake's omni lock, _Machiavelli."_ Jeffrey approached the table. "Remember?"

Jeremy's eyes widened and he tried to remain calm. He stared at Jeffrey in wonder. How did the boy know? He knew because they solved it together.

* * *

_"**MACHIAVELLI! **You said Drake's a creature of habit, he…he was Machiavelli's best disciple. Maybe it was in Venice, Italy? It came out during Bogg's trial! The last time he tried to bring down Voyagers he wrote his notes in…"_

"_A copy of Machiavelli's 'The Prince!' Now I remember Bogg telling us!"_

* * *

"What makes you bring him up? Isn't his work a little too advanced for you?" Jeremy pulled at his collar and ladled the soup into the bowls.

"You have to remember Jere…_um_…Mr. Saunders! We were trying to unlock the code so we could beat Paradox. You just have to remember!"

The desperation grew in Jeffrey's voice and Jeremy went to his side. Jeremy tried to keep his composure – the boy knew. It could have only happened the same way it did to him.

"Jeffrey do you _dream_ about these things?"

Jeffrey nodded. "I've been dreaming about them every night for over a year. I write them all down so I remember. Sometimes it's scary and sad, but most of the time it's exciting. I just had another one, it was a little of everything. Bogg and I were in old England visiting his family with Kayla...and then we had to leave her...we were in the middle of this Japanese war, it got crazy, that's when I heard the thunder and woke up."

"That sounds wild, is it always like that?"

"Yes, they're so real, Mr. Saunders! All the sounds, whether its bombs, ships, planes…the _smells. _Even when I get hurt in my dreams, I wake up _feeling_ the same pains."

Jeremy brought over the sandwiches. He looked at him knowingly. "It must be like…these characters are more real to you than the people in your life right now."

"Wow! You got it, Mr. Saunders. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to wake up."

-O-

Jeffrey excused himself and while he washed up, Jeremy ran to his closet and opened a locked metal box. Inside were many notes, writing tablets and sketches. He brought the box to the table and sifted through them, his mind recalling the contents. Jeffrey returned and began to eat his meal.

"Sorry I didn't have something else, Jeff. I was supposed to go food shopping…but circumstances changed." Jeremy gave him a sweet smile.

"That's okay, the soup is great, did you make it?"

_"Umm,_ Progresso did, but I added some of my own spices."

Jeffrey laughed. "Thanks for helping me out with those guys. They've been on my back all year."

"I've been somewhat aware of it, but I never caught them in action. You know you could have always come to me if you needed to talk or wanted some help. I have a good listening ear, and a pretty mean right hook!" He joked.

"Sometimes I wanted to, Mr. Saunders…but I was afraid."

"That I would tell your aunt and uncle? I always keep the confidentiality of my students, unless its something I feel will threaten their lives or health…you know what I mean?"

"Yeah I guess. And, _uh,_ about Machiavelli and the other stuff…_umm, _forget it. I think I was just still half asleep, dreaming, okay?"

"I would forget it if I could…and I did for a while. You brought it all back to me. Jeffrey Jones…Voyager code number _1982,_ partners with Voyager Phineas Bogg, number _1712_. Kayla Sheppard would never let me forget _those_ two codes."

Jeffrey dropped his spoon. "Mr. Saunders! You have the dreams too, about Voyagers? I knew it!"

"I _had_ the dreams Jeffrey, they started when I was eighteen and stopped when I was twenty years old. They were great dreams; I learned so much in them, I had a very important position fixing time machines, doesn't that beat all?"

Jeffrey poked through the metal box, and was in shock at the drawings. "Mr. Saunders, that's the omni! Wow, you drew the inside of it and everything! You even labeled all the parts! I know the omni from my dreams, but I didn't know all this, well…except for the time Thomas Edison tore it up to see how it worked."

They both laughed at that and Jeremy packed the papers back up. "I even had a little adventure with Kayla and Phineas Bogg in the French Revolution. Tell you what, one of these days, you come over and we'll compare notes, I'd like to hear about the adventures you've had. Maybe we can even piece together what they all mean, because this is so wild." Jeremy remembered saying similar words to him in another lifetime.

* * *

_You're a brave kid, Jeffrey, I wonder how I would have handled those goons? Bogg must have gave you lessons in self-defense."_

_"Sometimes he does, but he always says that fighting should be the last option. It wasn't easy, and I had help from Captain Bogg, they tried to kill me twice."_

_"Like I said, brave. When things calm down around here we should hang out. I want to hear all about the adventures you guys have had. Being a Voyager is so wild." _

* * *

"Jeffrey, I found that if I didn't write the dreams down, they would _disappear _by the end of the day, and that was always a bummer. I also saw you writing in your notebook a few times…during _class."_ His eyes turned up disapprovingly.

Jeffrey hung his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Saunders! Sometimes thoughts would come to me when you taught a certain subject and I had to get them down or else I would lose them."

"I understand, Jeff. I knew you had some issues, that's why I never brought them up. You're a straight 'A' student, never failed a test, and never even got below an eighty. You wrote the most fascinating essays. Who was I to complain?"

Jeffrey's eyes watered as his emotions overwhelmed him. He finally found someone who he could share his secret thoughts with – a mature, understanding adult and friend. He threw his arms around him in a hug. Jeremy was a little surprised, but then returned it. He knew Jeffrey needed all the support he could get and he decided that he would try and help him the best he could. He tousled Jeffrey's hair, and then put the box back into the closet.

"In my dreams, I was on top of the world, lived in a great neighborhood, married my true lov…_umm,_ never mind."

Jeffrey grew curious when his teacher suddenly became less animated and ducked his head, just like the shy young man he remembered. He got up and wandered around the small, but cozily furnished apartment. Sitting on the mantle was a black and white picture of Jeremy with glasses, he had his arm around a beautiful young girl. They were lounging on a park bench.

"Is that her? Your true love, Kirstie?"

Jeremy took the picture from the shelf. "Yes, that's her…Kirstie Pretty-nose, funny last name right? She was a little French and mostly Cheyenne Indian. As you can see, she had a very lovely nose. She was a gorgeous girl with a warm heart." He struggled to keep his composure and put the picture back on the mantle.

"What happened, Mr. Saunders?"

"Kirstie married Jake Thomas, the class jock in High School when we were nineteen. I was crushed."

"Wow, you must have really loved her, didn't you ever get married?"

Jeremy sat on his couch and nodded. "I met a woman in college and married her, it lasted about five years, but we just weren't compatible and she left me for someone else."

Jeffrey joined him on the couch and sat back glum. "I'm sorry Mr. Saunders, I bet she didn't compare to Kirstie."

_"Ohh,_ no woman did, not for me anyway. As unfair as it sounds…I just wouldn't let them. I met up with Kirstie when we were in our thirties. She was divorced from Jake and very unhappy. He turned out to be an abusive lout; I always knew he would be. When I found her again, it was like old times, even better…" Jeremy smiled at the sudden memories and closed his eyes.

"So, why didn't you marry her after she got rid of the jerk?" Jeffrey's voice broke through his reverie.

"_Ohh…um_…we were planning on it, but something happened. Jake kept coming around, he wanted to reconcile with her. Being the sweet woman she was, she heard him out. I'll never forget that night. He was drunk, and he came to her house, demanding she take a drive with him. She had called me, but I wasn't home, so she went with him to keep him from getting angry. Her friend told me the story, because she called her. They both died in a car accident."

Jeffrey winced and put his hand on his teacher's shoulder. Jeremy's voice broke and his next words came out in shudders.

"I…made it to the scene of the accident and forced my way through the crowd. I just had to see and be sure. Kirstie was still alive and I ran to her. I held her in my arms and told her how sorry I was that I wasn't there to help her. She looked at me and her last words were,_ 'You can help me...none of this was meant to be.'_ And then she died."

Jeremy gave way to his tears, keeping a fist in his mouth to control his sobs.

"Maybe she knew. Maybe she had the dreams too. Mr. Saunders, I can understand your pain, when I lost my parents in the camper fire, I really wanted to die with them. Hey, do you remember when I came back to school and I started crying in the cafeteria? I was sitting by myself and you had lunch duty that day. You came over and ate lunch with me, talked to me about everything, even though you didn't really know me. You really made me feel better. I was so glad when I found out you were my teacher this semester, you're the best teacher in school!"

Jeremy wiped his eyes and smiled at his student. "I'm sorry. I do remember that, Jeffrey, I also remember how familiar you seemed to me, but I didn't put it together with the dreams. Thanks for the compliment. I really enjoy teaching, it's one of the few joys left in my life, along with music."

"I noticed your record collection and that other picture on the mantle. You were in a band?"

Jeremy laughed. "Yeah, a few of us got together in college and formed a folk-rock band, we called ourselves _Open Heart_. We made a few singles, but never quite made it to the big time though."

"That's so cool. I don't know how to play instruments, I think I can do chopsticks on the piano."

"Well, if you ever want to learn the guitar or the piano let me know, I'll give you lessons. Free of charge."

"That would be awesome, thanks. Mr. Saunders, did you ever give her your song…'Forever?'"

Jeremy's face turned white, and he shook his head. "You knew about that too, huh? I wrote that for her at nineteen. The lyrics came to me in the dreams, but then it was too late. I was going to sing it for her on our wedding night. I even sang a little to her right before she died. Like you said, somehow she knew."

"That something is wrong with this whole time zone." Jeffrey sighed.

"Exactly. You know when I was twenty, I took my bike and rode to the brownstone. The place had never been sold, it was still boarded up. I went looking around inside and I found this."

Jeremy walked to his bookshelf and pulled out a black, leather bound book with a golden 'V' on the cover. "Why do you think I became such a great history teacher?" He managed to joke.

Jeffrey studied it. His partner, Bogg, didn't carry one ever since Ralph snatched it from him in the dream. "This book is amazing, it has everything in here." He marveled.

"Almost everything, it can't really tell you how to live your life the best way…" Jeremy ran his hand across another gilded, and worn leather bound volume in his collection. He looked at the clock. It was a quarter to six pm.

"I'm not really sure what to do with it, I know I could I probably be making millions, but the more I read into its pages, the more I see tragedy after tragedy that I know can't be prevented. That's no way to make a living, profiting off others sorrow."

Jeffrey stared at his teacher with a profound respect. He recalled to mind the words of Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

"I don't remember the German words for it Mr. Saunders, but you have a, _'Reverence for life.'_"

"That's very astute of you, I'm impressed. Thank you. I think anyone involved in this fantastic world of Voyagers has to have it. Hey Jeff, I better get you back home, I'm kinda breaking some heavy rules by having you over here."

Jeffrey was reluctant to leave, he enjoyed Mr. Saunder's company and wanted to learn more about Voyagers. "I don't think my aunt and uncle would care either way, they'd probably be happy if I never came home again. They sold my dog Ralph, he was the last friend I had in this crummy place."

Jeffrey's eyes welled up in tears again and Jeremy rubbed his shoulder in compassion.

"I'm so sorry Jeff, that's a cruel trick. I know it must be real tough, but you have to go back. I'll explain something to them. They can't say 'no' to a teacher, right? C'mon, we can talk more about it on the way."


	8. Boys will be boys!

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 8: Boys will be boys**

_**Bogg Manor: May 8th, 1709**_

Phineas Bogg and Vinchenzo Carvallo straightened up and wiped the love-struck smiles off their faces when Sonora scurried past with a tin of hot water and rags. They both lingered outside the wounded young woman's room, hoping to be of any assistance. Phineas put his hands in his pockets, feeling the brass device. He had not even told Vinchenzo it existed.

Sonora stopped short in the doorway. "Boys, why don't you go downstairs and wash up for supper, she's still sleeping. You've done everything you could, but now it's up to us _ladies._"

She patted Joanna's shoulder; who had followed her into the room with a warm blue quilt. When Sonora turned her back, Joanna stuck her tongue out at Phineas, and he crossed his eyes at her. Phineas decided to try pleading with his mother.

"But mother, we just want to make sure she is going to be well…I…"

Vinchenzo cut him off, "Yes, Mrs. Bogg, she took quite a tumble in the ocean and that swine nearly had her…"

Phineas jumped in front of him. "_But I_ pulled her to safety…"

Vinchenzo nudged him into the wall, "_After __I_ pushed him off of her, she would have been drowned!"

Phineas elbowed him to the opposite wall. "She nearly drowned on the shore, and the waves were knocking her over…_until I came!_"

Vinchenzo put his large hands on Phineas' shoulders and shoved him down.

"Mrs. Bogg, perhaps…perhaps she may need a translator, she looks Italiano…_no?"_

"Not really, Vinchenzo. I'd say from Germany, perhaps she is of mixed descent? I'd say most definitely she has white European in her blood." Sonora had a good eye for picking cultures, with a seafaring husband who had traveled the world. She waited patiently as the boys continued to conjure up excuses for seeing the woman. She laughed at their antics and Phineas became annoyed.

"May I ask what is so funny, mother? We could have lost our lives; she could have lost her life! If _I_ had not come running."

"_Esposizione fuori!" _Vinchenzo mumbled under his breath and threw up his hands. He stepped away defeated; they were not going to see the maiden tonight.

Phineas narrowed his eyes. "What's that Vinchenzo? _What?_"

"Nothing, Phineas. Come on and leave your mother be, I'll meet you downstairs."

Sonora kissed her son on the head. "Phineas, what you and Vinchenzo did should be recorded in the history books, you are both brave young men and I'm sure when she awakens, she will acknowledge that." She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye and a skeptical smile. "I know she is a beautiful young girl, but you know nothing about her. Not where she came from, who her family is, if she even_ has_ a family, what pedigree of woman she is…"

_"Mother! _You are making her sound like a pet or livestock."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be harsh, but you don't know if she is one of those wretched women from Sheepshead Bay that I _constantly_ warn you about."

Phineas jutted out his chin and folded his arms defiant. "I will not believe such things about her until I've spoken to her myself. I don't recognize her anyway."

Sonora's eyes went livid. She put the bowl down brusquely and shook a finger at him.

"I should certainly hope you don't! Phineas, how many times have I warned you not to stray too far into that area, there are all sorts of devious…"

Phineas walked backwards to the stairwell and chuckled embarrassed._ "Oh, _I think I hear papa calling. I have to go mother!"

"Phineas! What are you doing? Get down now!" Sonora demanded.

"I'm getting down!"

He wrapped his body around the banister and slid all the way to the bottom. As he was about to leap off, Jeremiah Bogg stepped up behind him and tapped him. Phineas turned and gulped at his austere expression, laughing off his stunt.

"Hi ya papa…I…I was…I was, just making sure they put enough coats of wax on this thing." He patted it hard.

_"Hmm, _apparently, they didn't put enough. You usually land on your bum half-way across the room. I'll have to have a talk with Lucille, perhaps _you_ can show her how to properly wax the banisters."

Phineas laughed and raised his shoulders up with a shrug. Lucille, the _beloved_ maid since he was a babe, was a cranky sort that would chase him with a broom if he complained over her housework or cooking.

"No need for that really, she's doing a _great_ job!" He turned and ran to the washroom. He grabbed the bar of soap out of Vinchenzo's hand and began to scrub his hands and arms vigorously. "Hey! What did you mutter upstairs in Italian…_again?_"

"I called you a _show-off!_" He rapped him with a towel and went toward the dining hall, leaving Phineas to complain.

"I'm going to learn to speak Italian!" He bellowed after him.

"Only_ after_ you learn to speak Norwegian! How many tutors did your father have for you?"

"_JEG snakke Norsk nå vel! JEG gjorde ikke vil gjerne sitte fast innenfor huset opp på skjønn dager!"_

Vinchenzo laughed. "Not bad Phineas, you do speak Norwegian very well…sorry you were cooped up inside on beautiful days."

Phineas threw the towel._ "Now_ who is the show-off?"

-O-

Kayla woke up in the bright room with a small cry, and curled up all the way to the headboard. She pulled at the goose feather pillow and kept it against her as a shield, remembering the vicious attack. The room was immense, with deep blue drapes hanging over the windows; her bed was fit for a Queen with a large cream and lace canopy overhead. She had never seen a more beautiful room…except the rooms in her dreams of the New York Brownstone. Kayla looked down at her body and noticed she was clothed in a long pink nightdress with puffed sleeves and ribbons that tied at her breast. Her jeans and blouse lay clean, draped over an ivory chair and her saddle shoes were at the foot of the bed, looking as shiny as the day she bought them. She managed to smile, feeling like a princess.

She edged herself off the bed and hobbled to the French windows, cool breezes blew around her and she closed her eyes, inhaling the sweet smell of the coast. Her sleep had been wonderful. The cuts and scrapes on her body had all been tended to. However, she grabbed her stomach, recoiling at the memory of being kicked by a large man. The pain was still there and slowed her up a little.

Kayla had no idea where she was or what year she landed in. As she glanced at her surroundings, all she saw was lush flowering countryside and a cliff-side beach in the far distance. There were no cars, airplanes, smoke-polluted air or skyscrapers in this place. She had to look at the omni, but it was not on the nightstand. She got on her hands and knees, nervously feeling around on the wooden floor and then heard a deep voice behind her.

"Looking for something?"

Kayla stiffened and turned, she saw Phineas Bogg. He was holding a large breakfast tray and placed it on the bureau. Kayla was rooted to the floor, then panicked and crawled away into a corner. Her gaze widened. She picked up her washing bowl, ready to strike should he come closer. Phineas didn't want her to be afraid of him, he realized she had a terrible scare the other day and surely felt on guard against all men. He put his hands up and kept a safe distance. She peeked out from behind the bowl and he knelt down, smiling gently.

"Please don't be scared, I'm a friend. I helped you, I would _never_ _hurt_ you." He held out his hand and she reluctantly put the bowl down. He clasped her fingers and gentle waves of relief came over her. They stood up and she dusted off her nightdress. Phineas dug into his pockets and held a shiny object up to her.

Her face lit up and she stammered. "That's my…_compass_ and I need it…please…it was my father's."

Kayla moved onto the bed and he followed and pounced alongside her, opening it up. "This is the strangest device I've ever seen, and I _know _compasses, my father is a sea Captain."

Kayla shifted away from him, pulling the covers tight over her. Phineas sat up.

"Don't worry. I know you have been through a lot with that brutal man, but he's gone now. This is my home, well my family's home, Bogg Manor. My name is Phineas Bogg, what's yours?"

"Kayla…Kayla Sheppard." She eyed the omni as he kept bouncing it around in his hands and then noticed the red light flicker and buzz very low. She tried to snatch it from him, but he jumped up and looked at it amazed.

"Did you see that? The lamp is red and it made a noise! I was trying to get this thing to work all day yesterday! How did it do that? I've never seen anything like it, it can't be a candle…is it magic?"

"No…it's not magic, its technology…oh man, it must have short circuited again from the water." She shook it, but nothing more happened. She banged it in her palm.

"NO! You stupid thing! You have to work! I can't be stuck here! No! _No!"_

Phineas sat back down and put a finger to his lips. "Please, please, not so loud, my family will hear you. I'm not sure what you mean by _technology_, but don't worry, I know a tinker in the village that could probably fix it. What do you mean by _short circuited_?"

"Short circuit…_electricity_…I mean…it just broke."

Kayla looked into his attractive face and a sensation of familiarity washed over her. His expression was earnest and serene. Phineas felt heat rise up to his collar as she stared at him. H brushed his fingers over hers.

"Okay…it…_broke_…" He moistened his lips. With hearts racing, they leaned their faces closer to one another.

The door burst open and Joanna came in with Vinchenzo trailing behind her, his arms open wide. Kayla jumped back under the covers and Phineas leaped up far from the bedside.

"_Buon giorno! È un bellissimo giorno esterno!"_

Kayla couldn't contain her emotions; the tall young man was the one who freed her from Dean's grasp.

"So you're the other guy that saved me? Thank you so much!"

She scurried off the bed and hugged Vinchenzo. She didn't know why, but his kindhearted embrace reminded her of when she was a little child. Her mother, Cynthia, would hold her in a similar way. Vinchenzo's friendly and sparkling brown eyes and strong-jawed features warmed her heart and she kissed his cheek. Joanna laughed at Phineas' offended expression. She laid out a pretty pink and white gown for Kayla to wear and pushed her brother to the doorway.

"No Phinus! Go out…this…is…a…lady room, Vinny…Vinny you too!"

Kayla couldn't suppress her laughter; "Vinny, huh? Very cute."

"Actually, it's _Vinchenzo_ Carvallo." He blushed.

Her smile faded and her expression became one of awe and recognition, but then she turned and held the dress up up to her body, looking herself over in the mirror. The boys looked at each other perplexed, then shrugged it off.

"Thanks for the dress, kiddo." She gave Joanna a thumbs up and she giggled.

Kayla approached Phineas and hugged him too; but he was already miffed that he was second fiddle to Vinchenzo.

"I left your breakfast over there. When you are ready, come down, my mother and father want to speak to you."

Kayla caught the resentment in his tone, but let it slide. Her spirits were up again. Maybe this was her ticket out. She had escaped New York and all the problems she was bound to face from being a penniless orphan. Although she was still confused about the omni and her dreams of an adult Phineas Bogg, she didn't want to dwell on them now.

"Thank you both so much, I mean it. Now, give me some skin!"

Kayla held out her hand and they looked at her strangely. She took each of their hands and slapped them hard, the young men laughed.

"We did find her wearing pants, didn't we, Phineas?"

"Surely, she must have been raised around men, aye?"

Kayla crossed her arms defiantly. "What's that supposed to mean? I can't be ladylike?" She circled around them, swaying her hips seductively. "I'll have you know busters; I'm more woman than you've probably ever known in your whole lives, heck, I'm more woman than the two of you can handle put _together!"_

They stared at Kayla dumbfounded, then at each other, and said in unison,

"_Sheepshead Bay!"_

-O-

"…And that is the whole story, Mr. Bogg, Mrs. Bogg. My father was a traveler and he left my mother and I for a short while and never came back…you already know the rest."

Kayla kept her head down modest and made occasional eye contact with Phineas' parents. His father was a tough shell to crack, but Sonora was gentle and even put her arms around her when she said her mother died of consumption. Kayla knew how to deal with authority figures; she liked Phineas' parents and didn't want them to feel that they couldn't trust her. She shifted her eyes to the left and noticed the door to Jeremiah's study slightly, a few wisps of wavy, blonde hair stuck out.

_'Those two knuckleheads are listening.' _She thought with a sigh.

Jeremiah stood up with his hands on his hips and paced the room. He believed the girl's story, but he felt there was more behind it. However, he was satisfied with what she had told them. She deserved to have some privacy. He paused and glanced out his window. Joanna was watering the flower bushes a few feet away. He noticed a stranger drawing near her, dressed in ragged, Turks clothing.

Kayla looked him over again. He was tall and dark blonde, extremely masculine and deep voiced. He had steely features that turned surprisingly soft when he smiled at her. Jeremiah was a distinctively handsome man and she could understand why Sonora looked up to him with pride and love in her eyes. The entire Bogg family was beautiful in many respects.

"You are free to go Kayla, we can't hold you here and you are under no obligation to us. I realize you have had a dreadful experience and you are more than welcome to stay and recover from it. The Good Lord knows we have the room, and He wouldn't look kindly upon us if we turned away an unfortunate soul. If you'll please excuse me, something needs my immediate attention."

Phineas and Vinchenzo sprinted to the dining table and picked at the fruit bowl, whistling. Jeremiah paid them no mind and brushed past them into the front yard.

-O-

Joanna didn't feel entirely comfortable with the man that watched her from the road. She resisted the desire to run in the house when he got off of his colorful wagon and approached her. She kept her back to him and continued to tend to the rose bushes and then she felt his hand on her arm. She jumped away as if he had burned her and he held up his hands with a smile.

"Relax, little poppet! I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to see what you have done here…hmm, _'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' _That is Shakespeare my poppet, do you know of him?"

Joanna focused on reading his lips; he had the features of a cat with dark blue eyes and a mouth that smirked like a harlequin.

"Shakes…peare…Yes…Romo and Julet…" She managed to say.

The peddler looked at her queerly, and smiled again. _"Aww,_ my angel, you are deaf…but certainly not dumb. My name is Gavin. What is yours?"

"Joanna Bogg."

"Ahh, _Joanna_…such a pretty name for a _pretty_ girl." He reached his hand out to stroke her cheek, when a commanding voice stopped him.

"Get away from my daughter you peddler, I have not invited you onto my property."

Jeremiah stepped down his porch slowly, his immense presence causing Gavin to shrink back.

"Please…Mr. _Bogg_, is it? There is no need for alarm, I was merely admiring your lovely garden."

He cast another glance at Joanna and she ran beside Jeremiah and clung to his arm. The peddler had done her no harm, but all the same, she felt safer near her father. He leaned down to her, stroked her hair and pointed to the house. She trudged inside.

"If you would like some flowers, go out into the fields. However, my daughter is _not _one of them, if you understand me." Jeremiah clenched his jaw and curled his fist.

"Temper, temper! You act as if I had done something wrong. I'm just making friends. I'll be in these quaint little villages for a few days, and I only wanted to meet some of the more prominent fixtures of this _humble_ society."

Phineas and Vinchenzo came onto the veranda and Kayla followed. Gavin became agitated and started for his wagon.

"Have a good day, gentleman, _my lady."_ He noticed a pretty little face peeking from the window and gave a theatrical bow. "Fare thee well, Joanna! Parting is such sweet sorrow!" He hopped onto his seat and drove the horses forward with a final wave.

"Is he for real? What an oddball! He comes around again he's gonna get a knuckle sandwich!"

Every head turned to Kayla. All five feet of her stood tall and she boldly shook her fists toward the carriage. Phineas and Vinchenzo laughed; she had the funniest expressions, and in the days that followed they became a close trio of friends.

-O-

_**Sheepshead Bay, May 11**__**th**__** 1709**_

"Phineas! Slow down will you? The village is not going anywhere!" Vinchenzo shouted over the roaring sound of the horse's hooves and grunts.

It was three days following the incident with Gavin. Jeremiah and the boys kept strict watch over Joanna and an eye around Breezy Point, in case he turned up. Although they were somewhat rivals, Jeremiah felt bad when the Livingston family was robbed of their most precious valuables that week. Afterward, a few more prominent families had their homes vandalized. He felt in his gut that Gavin was behind the thefts and that he wasn't finished with his dirty work. Phineas and Vinchenzo were given a break when Sonora took Joanna out to buy fabrics to make a pretty dress for Kayla. Joanna had grown attached to the young woman and even developed a certain way of communicating with her that amazed the family.

"Vinchenzo, Kayla said she would return by four o'clock, it is half past six and growing darker by the minute. If my mother found out we were going to Sheepshead Bay, on a Sunday evening of all days…"

"Yes, well, we warned Kayla of that place. What did she mean by saying, 'It's my kind of town? She is a lovely girl Phineas, but don't you find things a bit strange about her? Just the other day, I saw her looking up at the sky and heard her say, _'I've never seen a sky without airplanes?'_ What are airplanes? A type of bird?"

Phineas shrugged. "Oh, and she insists on helping the cooks, she made us a deviled egg platter with surprised faces on them! That was so funny. Joanna was afraid to even eat, she felt bad for them! Lucille came to me and asked me what a 'Frigidaire' was? Kayla claimed to her it's a frozen storage for food and meats so they don't spoil too soon. Oh, have you ever heard of a radio?"

"Oh, the little box where you can hear people's voices from across the earth? She mentioned it. And who is 'Little Orphan Annie?' I don't know Phineas, perhaps she came from beyond the starry heavens, the places you always dream of? She did seem to just fall out of nowhere, her and the man that attacked her." Vinchenzo pondered.

Phineas laughed at his friend's conjecture, but his gaze shifted to the twinkling sky above – could it actually be possible? Phineas couldn't get his mind off the brass compass. They hadn't spoke about it since he saw the red light blinking. It was all so fantastic, what if it _was_ the cause of her appearance? Kayla made him promise not to tell another soul about it, and he struggled to keep it. If Vinchenzo found out, he would be very sore that Phineas didn't tell him; they hardly ever kept secrets from one another. He pulled his reigns and slowed the horses. They jumped out and tied them to the post.

Vinchenzo held his nose. _"Yuck!_ It smells like week old codfish! I hear the women are the same."

Phineas shook his head. "Don't be so vulgar, it's not _that_ bad. "

They continued into the village, it resembled their own, only the shops and homes were of a shabbier design and their upkeep left much to be desired. Nearly every yard was overrun with weeds. Their small harbor was loaded with broken dinghies and boasted two leaky ships with tattered sails and moldy rudders.

"If my father's ship was to get in that condition, he would want to die of humiliation." Phineas noted.

Greasy sailors gazed at them with beady eyes while gutting fish. They tramped along the soggy road. The air was heavy with the scent of liquors and tobacco and Phineas felt squeamish.

"How could a beauty such as she even _think _of coming into this place? Unless, we foolishly misjudged her. Perhaps my mother was right all along." He said disheartened.

"Perhaps…but like your father always says, _'Foolishness is tied up in the heart of a boy…or a girl.'_ Hey, do you think she could be in there?" Vinchenzo pointed to a raucous tavern, called _'The Black Sheep.'_

They went inside. It dimly lit, but very lively. A rugged band played spirited music and revelers danced in the center of the room. Phineas looked up and saw heavily made-up women leaning over the railings. They caught his eye and blew them both kisses with a wink and nod to come upstairs.

Vinchenzo pushed him ahead. "Don't even look at them, Phineas. They are nothing but trouble, believe me."

"I believe you, Vinchenzo." Phineas blushed hard and looked away in shame. They both could not admit that each of them had been in this vicinity before.

Phineas scanned the room. He tried to ignore the grave stares of the fearsome men that sat around, picking their nails with knives and drinking whole bottles of hard liquors. His eyes came to rest on a back table and he poked Vinchenzo. A drunken sailor cornered Kayla, and she didn't look so sure of herself anymore.

"Come on, let's get her out of here before he hurts her." Phineas' eyes flashed in anger.

"I'm with you!"

-O-

Kayla had to shove the sailor off of her for the sixth time that evening. She realized she had made a big mistake in coming here alone, in coming here at all. Who was she kidding? She was in eighteenth century England because of a time machine and she gallivanted around as if nothing was amiss. She wished Phineas or Vinchenzo were with her now. Their faces flashed across her mind. She adored them both, but her heart clung to Phineas. He was the one in her dreams that made her feel safe as a child. It was Phineas, _the man_, whose pictures she gazed at on the database Artie had in her dreams. The bond she felt with him was strong, it was a bond filled with passion and love. Vinchenzo was a sweetheart, and spending time with him was like having a loving older brother or cousin, he felt just like family. He even shared her mother's maiden name.

"Hey, Dearie, I'm…_hic!_ Talking _to you_…what do you say I take you upstairs and show you how I drain my lizard, aye?"

She had enough. Kayla raised her hand and smacked him across the cheek, making sure he felt the sting. She stood up and tried to leave, but he pulled her down to him forcibly.

"So that's how you want to play it huh? I like to play rough!"

Fear seized her and she couldn't move. The attack in her apartment was fresh in her mind and she choked up, her body tensed.

_"Aww_ now, no need to cry 'bout it! I'm not gonna hurt ye, just gonna have a some fun with ye!" He maneuvered his hands over her legs.

"Ge…get…_GET OFF OF ME_!" Her screams brought the entire tavern to a standstill.

Phineas and Vinchenzo rushed over and pulled her away from the stunned drunkard. She clutched Phineas' shirt like a little girl and he held her secure and stroked her hair.

"Please take me away from here…from him! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry." She bawled.

"I know. It was a mistake. We're leaving now, Kayla. It will be okay."

Phineas kept her tight at his side and they backed away from the crowd. Vinchenzo remained in front of them as a guard. The drunkard stood up and wiped his mouth with a grimy sleeve. He picked up his mug and flung it at their heads. They ducked and the contents shattered across the bar.

"Damn you, Nevins! You're going to pay for that! You broke a ten-year-old bottle of bourbon!" The bartender shouted.

"Oh really? Just make me! I want that woman now!"

He lunged for Phineas, but Vinchenzo tossed him aside into a table of other drinkers. They in turn pushed him onto the floor.

"Ya want to drain ya lizard, there's plenty of takers upstairs, ya scalawag!"

"Hey, Jordan! We want fresh meat!" They hollered, incensed that he knocked over their plates of mutton.

"That will cost ye extra, it doesn't come cheap for us!" The owner bellowed, coming out of a back room.

The four men at the table stood up, removed their hats, and and rolled their sleeves. "Is that a fact? Everything here is _cheap! _The watered down drinks, the food, and the women! Does this cost ye too?"

They smashed the chairs onto the floor, breaking the legs. On that cue, the entire tavern was swept into an uproar. The musicians and dancers cleared the center as furniture went flying. Phineas pushed Kayla out the front.

"Run to the wagon as fast as you can, don't tarry!"

A coarse hand pulled his collar back into the din. He turned and ducked as a brawny fist almost flew into his face. It was Nevins, and he wanted his blood.

"Hey! Let's just talk about this!"

Nevins thrust him across the room with a spin and he landed in the piano. He shook off the dizziness.

"I'll teach you to steal my woman you young nit!"

Nevins charged for him and Phineas leaped away. Nevins' head struck the front of the piano and his face landed on the keys. He was knocked out cold.

"That aught to change your _tune!_"

_"Phineas! _No time for your jokes, I need some help here!"

Vinchenzo was engaged in his own struggle with two men from the mutton table. One held his arms behind his back and the other was ready to thrash him with a chair. Phineas ran to the other side, trying to avoid the flying foodstuffs. He grabbed the chair legs and halted the attack. The man lost his balance and fell against him, they both crashed into a round table and a platter of slimy clams landed on their heads.

Vinchenzo broke free from and pummeled his captor. He was forced backwards and his boots slid on the clam mess until he landed on the floor. All around the tavern the fighting became more intense, as did the screams of the women who joined in the fray. They attacked one another, pulling at hair and tearing their dresses and stockings. There seemed to be no end until a loud gunshot pierced the air and silenced it all. Phineas froze, with his arms wrapped around a short man's neck and Vinchenzo staggered into the bar table, trying to keep himself upright and steady.

Jeremiah Bogg stood at the entrance, his face ablaze with fury. He pointed his finger at his son and Phineas jumped up, dropping the man with a thud. He moved his arm in Vinchenzo's direction and he quickly stood up tall. They ran near to him. A strapping sailor appeared from the upstairs rooms and shouted down.

"Hey now! Who do you think _you are_? That bullet could have killed me up there!"

Jeremiah's eyes rested on him. "I am this…" He yanked Phineas' to his right. "boy's _father._ And this…" He yanked Vinchenzo to his left, "boy's _guardian!"_

The man walked down the stairway, punching his fist in his palm, until he was face to face with Jeremiah.

"Is that supposed to mean anything to me? Woke me out of sound sleep! These boys are troublemakers!"

"I will be the judge of my own boys."

"Well now, perhaps you'd like to finish what they started, aye?"

He threw a quick punch at him, but Jeremiah grabbed his fist with an iron like vise. Phineas and Vinchenzo stood by in awe as the man's countenance turned flaccid and his knuckles cracked.

"Shall I continue…_finishing_ what they started?" Jeremiah said calm.

"No! NO! Let go of me hand, you'll break it!"

"Perhaps now you'll put it to better use than in this vulgarity!" He spat on the floor and dropped his hand.

The man stumbled and grabbed his fingers; one of them was numb. The sailor looked at the livid man again, and recognized him as the most esteemed Captain off the ports of the entire coastline. He put his head down and stood back humbled.

"I'm sorry, Captain Bogg!" He winced.

"This drunken place brings shame upon the entire coast!"

Jeremiah flapped his cloak and turned to leave.

"Move it boys, _NOW!_"

Phineas and Vinchenzo ran all the way to the wagon and huddled in the back next to Kayla. She cried and kept her face in her hands. They decided to leave her alone.

Phineas whispered to Vinchenzo, "Remind me to _never_ even touch a drink as long as I live!"

Vinchenzo nodded as Jeremiah tied his horse to the team. He jumped on top of the seat and glared at the three of them. Not one word was spoken as they rode off into the darkness.


	9. Pioneer Trails

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 9: Pioneer Trails**

**April 3****rd**** 1968, The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee**

Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and he rubbed his palms against his navy suit jacket. Voyager Brett Walker's mouth went dry and his tongue nearly failed him, but he had to suggest it to him now or the omni light would stay red. It was hard enough to get him to stop back at the motel. He looked at his watch, _5:57pm._

"Mr. King, why don't you go outside on the balcony and get some fresh air. You look worn out, and you've been running yourself ragged with this worker's strike."

The rest of Martin Luther King's entourage all agreed and the leader smiled, opening the sliding glass doors. He turned to the musician sitting on the bed.

"Ben, make sure you play, 'Precious Lord, Take My Hand' in the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty."

"Sure thing, Martin."

King stepped out to take his final walk. Tears welled up in Brett's eyes and he looked at his watch, it was all happening easier than he expected. He tried to read The Memphis Daily News, but the words were a blur. He tossed it on the chair. There was no time to start more small talk with the others. He counted down, twenty seconds, fifteen, ten, and five…_6:01pm_.

_"Bang! Bang!"_

The room went into chaos and every man jumped up and ran onto the balcony. Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Leader and promoter of peace and equality lay motionless on the ground, a bullet smashed into his right cheek. Brett checked his omni and it was still red. He couldn't stay there. He had one more thing left to do. He rushed down stairs and saw the switchboard operator in a panic, poised to dial 911. Brett ran to the front desk and grabbed his collar, shaking him up even more.

"Quick! Did you hear that? Mr. King's been shot! They need you upstairs now!"

The operator ran away from his post and bounded up the steps, he clutched his chest. Brett's stomach was in knots and he saw the line from room 306–Martin's room–blinking on the switchboard, but the call would never be answered. He forced himself to leave the motel and he ducked behind a car, trembling as the police pulled up. He pulled out his Guidebook and flipped through the pages until he landed on his mission. He had to make sure this was right.

'**King was to have gone to the home of Local Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles. When King was shot, Kyles ran into a hotel room to call an ambulance, but nobody was on the switchboard. He ran back out and yelled to the police to get one on their radios. It was later revealed that the hotel switchboard operator, upon seeing King shot, had a fatal heart attack and could not operate the phones.'**

Brett looked at his omni again, and the light turned green just as Kyles came running from the entrance. Brett stayed low behind the cars and made his way out of the area. He came upon a large tree and leaned his forehead against it to catch his breath. He wanted to get back and help Joseph. Voyager Bogg had disappeared from the time stream, along with Olivia Dunne. Brett woke up this morning having odd dreams and felt as if he was in two different realities. He needed someone at Headquarters to explain it to him.

Aside from his part in allowing this tragedy, a deep suspicion ate away at him and his keen detective instincts kicked in. The shots were historically recorded to have come from the rooming house across the balcony. However, like the witnesses on the scene, he heard them coming from another direction. He looked at the rooming house and noticed a thick patch of shrubbery rustle in the distance. Brett's adrenaline was on high and he ran, he slid in the grass and took a flying leap toward a slender figure that ran in the opposite direction. He managed to grab hold of their legs and they both tumbled to the dirt. Brett turned the perpetrator over in shock; it wasn't the long accused white man, James Earl Ray, it wasn't even a _man_. Brett tore the dark shades off the attractive black woman as she tried to kick and bite him. Her green eyes were venomous.

_"Livina! _You…_you_ were the one who killed Martin Luther King Jr.? How the hell could you! I read about the conspiracies with Ray but they were never solved…"

Livina kneed him in the stomach and pushed him off. She dusted off her dark jeans with a derisive laugh.

"What, Brett? Surprised that a _sistah_ would do such a thing? Like you're any better? You had to make sure he walked onto the balcony, didn't you? And the poor hotel clerk couldn't help him either,_ right?_ Not after you shook him up! It's all in the game. Stop moanin!' You got your green light! That's all that matters!"

Brett was too shocked to reply; his head pounded from all the revelations. Livina Thomas and he were once very close, but in the last two years he noticed a change in her. She had become more and more dissatisfied with the entire organization and in recent months they drifted far apart. Livina Thomas was in league with Paradox and he realized why she was here. Joseph had sent him the alert that afternoon. He grabbed her..

"You and the others will not get away with any of this crap! You're coming with me!"

Livina feigned surrender and then pulled a small gadget attached to her boot. "No way, Brett! Our time is over, my lover."

Before he could react, she jabbed him in his waist and a massive jolt spread through his body. He slumped to the ground. Livina pulled out another weapon, and aimed it at the gun she used to murder King. A laser beam shot out and melted it beyond recognition within seconds. She kicked Brett over and laughed again, kneeling by his face.

"Too bad, Brett baby…"

His eyes popped open and he grabbed her wrist, twisting it until she cried out and dropped her weapon. His body still quivered from the surge, but he had to ignore it. She clawed at him with tiger striped nails, scratching his face. It stung him, but he wouldn't let her go. He flipped her onto her back and held her down with one hand. He tried to reach for his omni and a searing pain shot through his arm. She had poked him with some sort of needle and his limbs stiffened. She gave him a smooth kiss.

"A temporary narcotic, babe. Now, where were we? Oh yeah, Lorna gave me a heads up. There's been a change of plans, I'm taking you back to Headquarters and not a moment too soon!" She picked up her laser and hit the omni. They disappeared just as a squad of police officers surrounded the area.

-O-

**Bielfeld, Germany, 1851**

"_Halt! Halt!" _

Bernard Wolfstein paid no mind to the oncoming German soldiers; he had to get the doctor to safety. The two young men ran through the dense forest, ducking between trees. Bernard had a carriage waiting just at the end of the road. The man with him tired out and he stumbled into a bush and collapsed on his knees. Bernard grabbed his arm and shook him to his senses.

"Abraham, don't give up now! We're almost there! If they catch you you'll never get out of the detainment camp!"

Abraham was winded but agreed, and the two kept running. Gunshots pierced the air just as they made it to the carriage. Bernard shoved him into the back, throwing old coverlets on him. He ran around to the front and jumped onto the seat. He was glad he took horse-training courses at Voyager Academy. This was still his first year in the field work and at times he felt he couldn't do anything right. He whipped the reigns and the horses took off, leaving the soldiers behind. Bernard let out a shout of relief.

"Hey Abe, everything is going to be A-okay! We almost made it!"

Abraham stuck his head out with a deep smile. "You know, Bernard, even though I was in the prison for two years, I was honored to be there for my stance!"

Abraham Jacobi joined the German Revolution of 1848 to promote Marxist ideals. He even befriended the forerunner of communism, Karl Marx. After having just finished his courses in Medical school, he was ready to take his State-Exams, but was arrested for the promotion of this political and social reform.

According to the Guidebook, Abraham managed to escape Germany by himself. History went wrong when his lookout turned out to be a spy for the prisons. Bernard found himself having to console Abraham and convince him to keep attempting the escape; he would be the lookout. Their plans worked and now Bernard had less than one hour to get him to the ports and on a ship to England.

Bernard struggled to control his anxiety. Just a few hours earlier he had received a warning from Joseph that the OCC was being held hostage and that Phineas Bogg was dead in his own time line. That news made Bernard cry; the nightmares he had came true. He really liked Bogg and the consequences of his death surely turned the universe upside down. Without Bogg, Kayla Sheppard and his best pal Jeremy Saunders were gone too. Jeffrey Jones was most likely stuck with the rotten aunt and uncle he heard about. He couldn't begin to imagine the craziness that was going on at Headquarters.

They rode for the next half hour, not even daring to stop in case of capture. They made it safely to the ports and Bernard helped Abraham get settled for the trip.

"I want to thank you, my friend, you should have been part of our cause. You are a brave soul."

Bernard waved off the compliments. "Abe, you have a _bigger_ responsibility ahead of you. The children are the future, and they're gonna need you to keep them healthy."

"You have so much confidence in my medical work and I haven't even passed the exams yet!" Abraham laughed.

"Hey, you have the drive to escape from a German prison camp, you're_ gonna_ pass this little test. A piece of cake! I feel it in my gut, and I usually trust my gut."

Abraham Jacobi boarded the ship bound for England and gave a final wave goodbye. "Thank you for the money and the ticket! When I manage to get to New York City, I'll be sure and look you up, Bernard."

"Sure thing! Just pass that test!"

Bernard opened his omni and he had the green light. The father of American Pediatric medicine was safe and sound. He watched for a few minutes as the ship left port, then found a secluded area to make his disappearing act. Just as he was ready to hit his omni, he was accosted by an older man in a German soldier uniform.

"_Hallo, _little Wolfstein! Remember me? It's been a very long time since I had a sparring with Wildman. It will be a pleasure to take his grandson down!"

Paradox had found him. He wasn't sure what to do next, so he tried to make small talk. He recognized the middle-aged Voyager from his childhood.

"You must be Levi, my grandfather trained you, didn't he? _Uhh_…those were the days right? You were the star pupil…I wish I could be as good a Voyager as you…what the…? Hey, what the _heck is that?"_

Bernard pointed into the air, and the other Voyager fell for it. He threw a punch to his jaw, and a quick jab to his middle. Levi doubled over, angry at falling for the old trick. Isaac Wolfstein always got him with that one. He tried to grab for Bernard but missed and fell forward. Bernard made a run for it across the docks, and then remembered he had the omni. He smacked his forehead.

"Oh man, what a Shlemiel!"

He was about to press the button when he felt a sharp prick in his leg. He fell straight onto the planks, his body immobilized. He looked ahead with frightened dark eyes as Levi approached and grabbed his coat.

"Actually, my young friend, you're a _shlemazl!_" Levi turned his omni and they took off into space.

-O-

**May 3rd 1937, Overhead Lakehurst, New Jersey**

Voyager David Frasier's knees shook and the small table rattled, his complimentary glass of red wine spilled over. He wiped it up and cringed at the giant red stain on the tablecloth.

"Just stay calm, stay _calm!_" He warned himself.

He glanced out the long, slanted window to his right; they were very high in the air. The Zeppelin was late for its landing and it was already six o'clock. He scratched his head and made an omni check. The light was red and he had no idea what he needed to do since he landed him on 'The Hindenburg' just fifteen minutes earlier. He scanned the dining room for any familiar faces that shouldn't have been on the aircraft, but there was none he recognized.

_'No one should be on this balloon.'_ He thought gravely.

They appeared to be over six hundred feet from the ground. Being a former pilot, he understood what the captain was trying to do. This landing was different; he was employing a flying moor, or high landing, because the ship was winched down from a higher altitude. This type of maneuver would save the number of ground crew, but would require more time. He strummed his fingers, and rechecked his Guidebook. He really didn't have to; this blimp was going down at precisely _6:25pm_ in a horrific burst of flames. At least it was only half full. He remembered when this tragedy happened, thirteen passengers were killed out of thirty-nine, and twenty-two out of sixty crew members died.

"Oh, the humanity!" He mumbled, repeating the famous broadcast on the scene of the crash.

David forced himself to stay focused. Aside from the fact that he could die here; he received a warning from Joseph about the state of the OCC at Headquarters. The situation was not well in hand at all due to the wanton murder of Phineas Bogg. He felt terrible, but he had to accomplish this voyage. He began to dredge up what he learned about The Hindenburg in class and what he remembered from his own history living in the thirties.

There were so many theories swirling in his mind, the bad paint theory, sabotage theory, suicidal passenger with a Luger, static sparks – the list went on and on. David was always driven to find out the truth before jumping to conclusions, and the name Eric Spehl came to him. He was a crew member long accused of sabotage. David stood up and just then, the ship made a sharp full-speed turn across the landing field. He staggered and knocked into a man walking with a small bowl. The man was agile and caught the bowl before it fell on the floor. David held up his hands apologetically.

"I'm sorry, sir! I hope I didn't spill your…_dog food?_"

"_Eine panic_…I mean, don't worry…I caught it. You look very nervous, first time in the air?"

"Not at all, first time in one of these contraptions though."

"Yes, a great invention from the so-called _Master Race_ right? I wouldn't be surprised if the Nazi pricks aren't just testing another method of torture, right?" He commented snidely.

David just nodded. Since he landed aboard, this man told his anti-Nazi jokes non-stop to anyone who would listen. He changed the subject and walked with him toward the stern, where the rigging was.

"So, I noticed you going back and forth a lot, you have a dog on board."

"Yes, her name is Ulla. It's a surprise for my children. They've been asking for one for a very long time. Oh, _mein nahmen_ is Joseph Spah, and you are?"

"David Frazier."

"David, you look like the adventurous type. You must travel often, that pouch you carry is very weathered, and so is your leather coat. Are you a pilot by chance?"

"Yes I am, and I was just on my way to talk to the crew about flying one of these babies."

"Then it seems we both have a taste for excitement in the air, I am an acrobat in my home country, Germany."

"Hey, very nice."

David was struck with another sobering thought. Joseph Spah had also been accused of sabotage. It was believed he planted a bomb when he kept making his unattended trips to the stern. Being an acrobat, he would have been able to climb up the ship's rigging fast and undetected. David looked him over. He was fit enough for the sabotage and his attitude against the Nazis was suspicious, but David felt he wasn't the cause of the fire.

"I'll leave you to take care of Ulla right now."

"Sure, Guten nacht."

"Yeah…good night, Joseph."

David felt the ship slow down. A voice from the alcove announced they had to valve gas. It was _6:11pm. _David made his way to the lower B deck mess hall; the crew members were all scattered about, preparing for landing. All engines idled ahead and the ship began to slow. At _6:14_, he heard the speaker's overhead cackle and the Captain made a private announcement to the crew.

_"This is Captain Pruss, we have a current altitude of three hundred and ninety four feet. We have to brake the ship, I want all engines full astern."_

The workers scrambled to their positions around the Zeppelin. David stopped one of them.

"Excuse me, I need to find Eric Spehl."

"Who are you? You're not an employee on this ship?"

"No, but its very important I speak to him."

The tired man eyed him warily. "He should be at his post below near Gas cell four, but you don't have the clearance to…"

David brushed past him. Ignoring his protests, he raced toward the cell. It was _6:17pm_. The Zeppelin was forced to make another sharp, sweeping turn starboard right. He sprinted and almost fell down the metal steps of the lower levels. He saw a blonde man inside rummaging through a bag and he pulled out a flashbulb camera.

_"Of course!_ In the sabotage theory, the other crew saw a flash, it was the camera that ignited the chamber!" David remembered in a panic.

The ship made a second sharp turn and David tumbled over the railing, causing a disturbance. Eric looked up at him alarmed.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Get out of here! This is no place for passengers!"

Captain Pruss' voice came over the general loudspeaker.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry for the delay. We now have clearance to land, please refrain from walking around and take your seats. Thank you."

David latched onto the rigging near the stairwell; he shimmied down to Spehl, his temper taking over. He grabbed the German rigger by his shoulders and threw him against the chamber. The two men scuffled, but David got the upper hand and held him pinned on the stairway railing.

"Are you crazy? You're trying to sabotage the ship, aren't you? I know what you're going to do with that camera and I won't let you!"

He shoved Spehl hard to floor, but Spehl kicked out his legs and tripped him. David landed on his back, his head banged against the metal flooring.

"Damn you! It wasn't supposed to be this way, I don't want to kill people, but we were already twelve hours late in the landing! I couldn't reset the bomb!" Eric grabbed his bag and ran to the other side of the chamber.

David managed to get upright and clung to the railing dizzy. What was he trying to accomplish? If he stopped the ship from blowing up, he would be supporting the red light. He rubbed the back of his head and opened his omni; it was a green light now. Two hands grabbed him and yanked him to his feet. He turned to see an old classmate from the Academy.

"Forget it, Frazier! You always were a hot head! You did what you're supposed to do, you stopped Spehl from blowing it _before _6:25pm, which would have caused _everyone_ to die, but you can't _prevent_ tragedy and you know it!"

"Link! I know _that_ dammit! What are you doing here? We got to get out now! The Hindenburg's gonna go down!"

Link seized David's throat, and jabbed him with a needle. David's large, blue eyes glazed over and his whole body went rigid.

"Yes David, and you're going down too, you and all your Pioneer friends!"

The two men disappeared and Spehl's flashbulb went off…

-O-

**August 15****th****, 1934 Cleveland, Ohio**

Rookie Voyager Tom Welles didn't realize he had an audience when he landed in the backyard of a house. He always tried to make his entrance as graceful as possible and this time managed to land on his feet in the moist grass. He threw his arms up in a muscle man pose and then took a bow. The air was stifling, so he removed his red jacket and tied it around his waist. He looked ahead, with his hands on his hips, there was nothing going on in this place.

"It sure isn't a Metropolis!" He muttered.

It must have been around one in the morning; all the lights were off inside the house, and around the entire neighborhood. He opened his silver omni. The exact time in this location was, _1:30am._ He loved that new feature on the device. The light blinked red.

_'What could possibly be wrong in this suburb?'_ He thought. _'No meatloaf tonight?'_

He turned around and was stunned to see a young man standing with a bottle of soda pop, his dark eyes widened astonished. Tom smiled nervous. How was he going to explain his drop from the skies? The young man went up to him, and looked him over. Without a word, he pulled a pencil and drawing pad from his pajama pockets and began to sketch, a deep smile of excitement plastered on his face. Tom was baffled, but kept his pose for him. The young guy finally finished and spoke up.

"You flew down here from the sky! That's it! You're perfect!"

"No, I don't fly, I just _umm_…fell, from a…hold on, perfect for what?"

"Our new comic book!"

"What comic? What's your name?"

"My name's Jerry Siegel and you are the prototype for our new superhero! This is amazing! I couldn't figure it out all night, but then you just landed here in my backyard and…_hey?_ How did you come from the sky if you don't fly? Wait! Don't tell me! You can leap tall buildings in a single bound? Oh! Hold on, that's a great line!" Jerry scribbled in his pad again.

Tom laughed and relaxed. "Whoa, wait a minute, who do you think I am, Superman? Next your going to tell me I'm also a mild mannered reporter with glasses that works for the Daily Planet Newspaper in Metropolis. And my secret alter-ego is Clark Kent."

Tom was having a lot of fun here and Jerry soaked it all up. "Keep going! I'm loving this!"

"I'm_ faster_ than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive! I'm Super…" The smile vanished from his face as he realized what was happening. He tapped Jerry on the shoulder.

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Jerry Siegel."

"You said, _our_ superhero, who's the other half?" Tom sighed. He already knew the answer.

"Oh, that's my best friend, Joel Shuster, he lives twelve blocks away. Oh boy! I have to go to him right now and tell him all this. Where did you come up with this stuff? You are terrific! Wait, come with me, he's going to have to see you to believe it."

Tom knew the omni always landed him where the disturbance was, so he shrugged and allowed Jerry to lead the way.

-O-

"It should be blue, Jerry!"

"No, Joel, I think yellow stands out more!"

"Blue ink is cheaper to get!"

"Who says? We need a lot of colors, yellow!"

"Blue!"

"Yellow!"

Tom stood in the middle of the room, watching irritated as the two young men argued over the costume colors of their future iconic hero. He didn't know how to explain his sudden landing from the sky, so he made up a story to help along with the ideas. He was from a distant planet, sent here to be of assistance to them to create their character. A character that was going to change the world. He couldn't believe it when Jerry actually fell for his story. The kid was a complete space cadet. Joel was a little more skeptical, until Tom showed them his omni with the blinking lights and dials. He told them that it allowed him to travel across the universe helping people throughout time and space. The friends ate up the semi-true story, hook, line and sinker. Tom was miffed that his missions weren't more grandiose. The last _major_ one he had was the San Francisco earthquake, but that was four months ago. The omni vibrated on his belt buckle.

_"Uhh, _excuse me guys, I need to use the rest room?"

"Straight down the hall to your left, can't miss it!" Joel waved him off, showing Jerry his latest designs.

Tom made a beeline for the bathroom and locked the door. He was finally getting some action. The Voyagers never contacted you unless there was an emergency. It was a message from Joseph, and what a terrible emergency it was. Tom leaned against the door anxious. The Paradox team had pulled out all the stops this time. He washed his hands and his face to calm down and studied his features in the mirror. Jerry Siegel's assumptions were right; he _did_ resemble their future comic book hero. The light was still red, couldn't these two make up their minds? Tom decided he would make it up for them. He went back to the room, now they were both sketching with colored pencils.

"Hey, did you fellas decide on a color yet?"

They both shook their heads, not looking up from their drawing tablets. Tom had a bright idea. He went to the bathroom again and opened the linen closet. He pulled out a long red towel. He smiled and tucked it in the back of his shirt, making sure it stuck out like a cape, and he bounded back to the room. He jumped on the bed, pretending he was flying. They young men looked up in awe.

"You know what I think? _RED_, Superman's cape should be _red_!" Tom leaped off the bed, so the towel lifted in the air with him. He ran around the room with his both arms straight out in front of him, employing the flying positions he remembered from Christopher Reeve's Superman movies. They both clapped.

"Joel! That's it! A _red_ cape! Wait, let me show you my sketches!"

"Perfect, look at mine."

The two artist compared drawings and then laughed aloud, they had the same idea for a costume. They looked back at Tom.

"Thanks for the input, Tom, and the costume inspiration. We decided, blue shirt, blue pants, like you're wearing and red undergarments over the pants…well, tights I mean." Jerry said. "You know, like a circus strongman."

"Yeah! I kinda got the idea from the jacket around your waist, oh, and Superman needs a belt. Jerry, lets go with your yellow."

"Wonderful! And he needs red boots…what should we put on his shirt though? Don't you think he needs an emblem?"

Tom moved toward the window as they two fell into another deep discussion and his omni vibrated again. He checked it; relieved to see a green light all the way. The original Superman comics didn't employ much yellow after all, not until the industry decided to use more than three colors in their printing, but that was not important. Tom felt a little sad for the Jerry and Joel. As history went they wound up losing all the rights to their iconic character and millions in royalties. However, by the time the popular movies came out in the late seventies, their names would be restored as the creators of Superman.

_'Too little, too late.'_ Tom thought. "Hey guys, my space omni device tells me that I have accomplished my mission. I'd really love to stay and talk some more about this comic book, but I have to get going."

"Wow, how can you tell?" Jerry asked intrigued.

Tom held up the omni and the green light rang. "Before it was red."

_"Aww,_ that's it? Really?"

"That's it. I told you it was simple."

"Tom, you can crash on the couch, its no problem, we'd like to hear more of your ideas for the character." Jerry whined.

"No, You don't need me any more. I think you'll have everything sorted out in no time. I have to go."

Jerry and Joel walked him to the front door of the apartment and saw him out. Tom turned to them and they huddled.

"Now remember, _never_ tell anyone I was here, it will be our secret..._Umm_…our planet cannot be exposed to earthlings right now, but by creating your comic book, they will in time, learn of Kyphon…"

He tried to keep a straight face. He felt like he was dealing with the world's first, original nerds.

"This is so unreal…but, I'm not feeling the name Kyphon for our hero's planet, what do you think, Joel?"

"Jerry, you just heard what Tom said, we can't use it anyway. We have to come up with something else." Joel paced out front and as Tom walked ahead he heard him say, "Hey, remember in science class we learned about the periodic table, there was one that sounded like Kyphon…umm…what was it? Oh yeah! _Krypton!"_

"Fantastic! Superman was born on the planet Krypton!" The two ran inside and Tom watched with a proud smile. They would wake up in the morning in shock over their little visit with a man from space, but they would never be able to prove it really happened.

Tom came to the realization that all voyages had a direct bearing on history, no matter how insignificant they appeared. Where did he get that notion? He remembered, Voyager Bogg had said those very words at some point in their first Pioneer meeting. He couldn't believe that he was dead. He wanted to go back to his time line and find out how it happened, but he knew there was no data. Paradox had erased it. He thought of the beautiful Kayla Sheppard, she kind of brushed him off when he tried to get closer to her. He later learned that she had a thing for Bogg. Now, she didn't exist, or if she did, she was certainly not a Voyager Aide.

Everything was going wrong. He wanted to get back to Headquarters fast; he was worried about Marty because she was usually on the premises treating patients. He and Marty were good friends, but he knew she cared for him more deeply than that, and his feelings for her were growing more intense. Tom went to press his omni. He didn't see the other man sneak up behind him, but sensed his presence.

He hit an emergency button on his silver omni and a giant blue and white portal burst open in front of him. The other Voyager was thrown onto the lawn, stunned. Tom looked both ways and soared right through it back to Headquarters. The other Voyager disappeared, his omni locator locked onto Tom's omni coordinates. He would find him sooner or later.

Jerry and Joel gaped from out the bedroom window. Their hero from another planet could fly.

**Voyagers Headquarters-Medical Unit  
**

"You are so healthy, Brian, but you're always in here. I think everyone is on to you." Marty said joking as she removed the thermometer from Voyager Brian O'Neill's mouth. "Two hundred degrees and counting."

"I knew I was feeling a little…_hot._" He smirked, eying her up and down.

"Ninety eight point six, perfect. One of these days you're going to really be sick and I won't be around. Stop crying wolf."

Brian let out a howl and laughed.

"You're so ridiculous!"

Marty felt his intense crystal blue eyes upon her and sighed, keeping her back to him as she cleaned off the thermometer. Brian was always finding ways to flirt, at times it was flattering, but she was nobody's boy toy. Her emotions confused her. In the last few weeks, she felt herself drawn to Brian like never before. Brian was tough and sarcastic, but he still had an endearing charm and wit about him that she admired. She turned around and removed her medical jacket.

"Unless you want to deal with big Carl next, my shift is over, Voyager O'Neill." She warned him, placing the coat in a closet nearby.

Brian slid off the stool. "No way, he'll probably start cracking my bones, not to mention tell all his lame Voyager jokes. I get a bad feeling about that guy. Watch yourself around him, okay?"

Marty stared at him, he didn't crack his usual joker grin. "Okay, Brian, but I don't think there's anything to worry about."

Brian shrugged. "So, let me _escort_ you back to your apartment." He bowed. As she passed him for the door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close.

"Brian? What?…"

She didn't get to finish as Brian kissed her. Marty raised her hands as he deepened the kiss and shoved him away.

"Brian! I can't! You know Tom and I are…"

"Are what?" He laughed surprised. _"Tom!_ He doesn't give you the time of day. I get sick watching you pining after him with those big brown eyes of yours, and he's too blind to even notice. He hits on every other girl he meets around here and you know it." Brian said angry and a bit embarrassed at her brush off.

Marty gaped at him. "Well look who's talking! Tom and I happen to be very good friends! It's a growing relationship."

"Growing? Yeah like mold! How long has it been? A year? Two years?"

Marty crossed her arms. "Well I didn't think you were keeping count!"

"It's hard not to, you know sometimes I just want to slap him upside the head, he doesn't know what he's missing!" Brian sputtered.

Marty's face softened. "You, you really feel that way about me? I thought I was just a leggy blonde to you, you know?"

"Well, yeah, you are…in the beginning sure! But I've come to know you real well and…Marty, you're intelligent, caring and sensitive, you cry at the drop of a hat."

"I do not!"

"Do too! Look at this, your eyes are already teary. I find it sweet though. You have a big heart…and, Marty, you're beautiful." He came nearer, seeing her defenses falter. "I just don't want you to get hurt and waste your time over someone that can only see you as a friend."

"Oh, dammit, Brian!" Marty sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Why did you have to say that?" She leaned against him and he chuckled and stroked her blonde hair.

"Because I couldn't hold back anymore. I know I'm not the most desirable guy around here, not like Bogg or Frazier, Walker…or Tom!"

Marty raised her arms and put them over his neck. She shook her head. "See, that's where you're wrong, Brian. You're always comparing yourself to the other guys and then you get all competitive. _Stop it!_ You are a great guy with your own set of good qualities that a woman could definitely…"

Brian smiled and brushed her face with his lips. "Love?"

Marty's cheeks turned red. "Yeah..._love." _Marty kissed him and they held each other tight. "Brian, you can escort me back." She whispered between kisses. "Now that I got the single…wait a minute…I have a roommate?" Marty pulled back confused.

"You do? Who?"

"Kayla Sheppard, John Henry's cousin, remember? I think? Brian, wait a minute, who's Bogg?"

Brian was tempted to shrug but he glanced at her worried. Bogg was his buddy and swimming rival, but now he was a dim memory.

"This is weird, Marty. It's like there's holes in my head where certain people should be. Maybe for once I really need the infirmary."

Marty rubbed her arms. "No, I've actually been feeling like this for a few hours now, something is wrong. Brian, I'm scared."

Brian enveloped her in a hug. "Don't be scared, we'll get this figured out. Come on, let's…"

The door to the examination room opened and Voyager Carl Johnson stomped inside. "Sorry to break this up! Don't you know Voyagers are not allowed to have a love life with _another_ Voyager? Do I have to disinfect in here?" He laughed snidely.

Brian and Marty pulled apart and Brian stepped in front of her protectively, for some reason he felt on the defense. "Don't worry Carl, it's still safe to operate."

Carl walked to the closet to get his jacket. "I suppose you're too busy in here to know what's happening down at the OCC…it's…"

Both Marty and Brian's omni suddenly beeped and they stared at one another. Joseph only contacted them like that in emergency situations. Carl laughed.

"There you go! I'll save him the trouble. Voyager Drake and Lorna have taken command of this place and frankly, I think they'll do a better job than anyone!"

"Marty run!" Brian shouted and shoved her to the door. Carl lunged for them holding a taser. Brian threw the stool at him and knocked it from his hand.

"Damn! You can't get away, Voyagers! We already have the rest of you!" Carl yelled, grasping his hand from the pain.

Brian raced out the door, where Marty waited for him. "I thought I told you to run!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

Brian smiled and grabbed her hand. He noticed the silent flashes of the alarm system down the hallway. "Let's go! We'll go to our meeting room!"

Carl made chase, but his hefty form winded him. Just as they veered for the corner, two other Voyagers blocked them. One punched Brian in the stomach and the other grabbed Marty, holding her arms painfully.

"Get off of us! What do you want?" She shouted. "Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

"You know I always hated you, O'Neill! You freakin' hot shot! Just like Bogg!"

"Bradford, you're a sleaze! That's why you're stuck in the dungeons watching the prisoners!" Brian managed to say as he was pummeled into the wall.

Marty kicked at her attacker and tried to fight him, until she was pushed onto the floor. Brian looked on furious. "Get your hands off her! I'll get you! I swear it, Jennings!"

The Voyager laughed and pulled out a needle. He jabbed it into her side. Marty's eyes widened she called for Brian before she slumped down unconscious.

"No! What did you do to her?" Brian demanded, getting in a few punches at Bradford. "Marty! Marty!" He soon found out as the needle struck his arm and he fell alongside her.

"Put these two with the rest of them!" Bradford muttered, spitting out a little blood near Brian. "It'll be my pleasure to do one of these jerks in soon, I couldn't get Bogg, but O'Neill's the next best thing!"


	10. A kick in the head

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 10: A kick in the head**

_**New York City, 1983**_

By 6:00pm John Henry and Regina finished off a light dinner and then moved on to wait in the lobby. They busied themselves reading, but kept their eyes on Elizabeth. At 6:15pm Regina noticed a dark-haired man come into the hotel and greet her. Regina rolled her eyes as Elizabeth smacked his arm and chastised him in a whiny voice for being late.

"Boy, does she have him whipped or what? That man is henpecked for sure." John Henry said. He dropped the newspaper disgusted; every page was filled with crime and murder. "And history considers the Old West to be _wild _and _untamed._" He muttered. "Hypocrites."

_"Aww,_ John, I told you reading that was going to depress you."

"I know, but its good to be on the up and up with the time zone you're in, right? Hey, lets get outta here now and wait outside."

The Voyagers strolled through the rotating glass doors, After getting caught in the rotation twice, John Henry finally stumbled out irritated while Regina laughed at him.

"Dang, why can't a door just be a _door?"_

They waited under a nearby Jewelry store awning. John Henry caught the glare of desire in Regina's eyes as she took note of the diamond rings and necklaces laid out on red and blue velvet. He held her elbow and led her underneath a Chinese take-out awning.

"John, what did you do that for? Lo Mein and Chop Suey does not compare to a _Cartier_. "

"I saw them diamonds sparkling in your baby blues, I couldn't risk it."

"Hey! I know, I know, but they were _so beautiful._ I was only looking…you know its coming up soon."

"Our anniversary? Darlin' we've only been married two months."

Regina crossed her arms with a smirk. "_Hmmph_, just keeping you on your toes. Hey, there they go! Oh man, I should have known they wouldn't be walking in this rain."

The Voyagers followed the young couple around the Avenue and halted when they saw them hop into the backseat of a taxi. John Henry raised his arm to flag down another one turning the corner, but Regina stopped him.

"Wait a minute, there's a great invention that I completely forgot we could use, the white pages, c'mon."

The two went back into The Muse and borrowed the front desk copy. Jeffrey's relatives were listed a few Covingtons down the page under _'T & E Covington.'_

"We got them! 322 West 30th Street. That's not too far, babe."

"I say we hoof it, we just might make it there before they do, that traffic isn't going anywhere in this jam."

-O-

Jeremy Saunders and Jeffrey Jones were caught in snarled Mid-town traffic for the last ten minutes and there was no sign of it breaking. The rain continued to fall in sheets and Jeremy kept the windows locked tight and the wipers on high speed. He had to continually rub the fogged glass with his sleeve to see ahead of him. Most of the cars turned their headlights on as darkened outside.

_"Aww jeez,_ I really hate driving in the City, you know? Your aunt is probably calling the cops by now."

"Or having a party." Jeffrey said. He was chilly and kept his arms folded to warm himself. Jeremy toyed with the heat until a steady stream of warm air blew on them.

"Sorry about that, this car is on its last legs. Jeffrey, how do you think your aunt really feels about you?"

"I don't know, Mr. Saunders, I'm just a big burden on everyone. A year after my parents died, I heard what she said to Tom. She wasn't happy being 'saddled' with an eleven-year-old kid. I guess I can understand, she never wanted kids in the first place and then she got me."

"That's no excuse for her not to love you. You're her family, her brother's son."

Jeffrey's eyes flashed. "Look, she doesn't love anyone but herself, _okay?_ If my dreams were real I wouldn't even be here right now! I'd be helping history along with Bogg! He loves me!"

Jeremy fell silent. The sharpness in Jeffrey's tone advised him it was time to change the subject. Jeffrey played with his seat belt, his cheeks felt hot, and he glanced at his teacher.

"I'm sorry Mr. Saunders, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Hey Jeff, I understand, we have other important matters to discuss."

Jeffrey came to full attention and sat up taller with a gleam in his eyes. "That's right! _Voyagers!"_

"Actually, I was referring to my essay assignment. Do you have a clue what you might want to write about?"

Jeffrey looked at him in disbelief. "What? The_ essay? _What about everything we talked about? All the papers and sketches you showed me? The Guidebook, the omni, _time travel!_"

Jeremy's hands clenched the wheel and his eyes clouded over. He tried to keep his full attention on the road, noticing the traffic move forward. He knew the boy was right, however, he had put that part of his life away years ago. Reality had since smacked him hard in the face, especially with the death of Kirstie. He had shoved the dreams to a dark corner of his mind.

"Jeff, I know its crazy and weird…fantastic, but what of it? When you get to be my age you learn to _stop_ chasing rainbows and start facing hard facts."

Jeffrey faced teacher. The man was avoiding the _facts_.

"Mr. Saunders…Jeremy! You can't just act like it's nothing. We _know_ each other from our _dreams_; we have whole alternate lives, and the people in my dreams are the same people in yours! Its like…like…" Jeffrey bit the bullet and spilled all his feelings. "It's just like Kirstie said when she died, _none of this was supposed to happen._ Are you just gonna let that go, now that you know there's more to it? Now that we found each other and can actually start to make some sense of it all?"

"Jeffrey, dreams are dreams! They're not real."

"C'mon, explain to me about the book you found, the 'V' on the cover, all the future dates. Don't tell me you haven't followed along throughout the years watching everything in that book come true! You know as well as I do, it stands for something,_ 'Voyagers!_' And that's what we're _supposed_ to be. Not stuck here wasting our lives being upset and lonely. We have a mission, an assignment, but something went wrong somewhere…"

Jeremy looked at him teary-eyed. "You're absolutely right, Jeffrey, I just…somewhere along the way I stopped believing in many things and this was one of them."

Jeffrey rubbed his head as deep and profound thoughts struck him. The dreams he had earlier shook him up, but he kept it from Jeremy. He wasn't sure how far he could trust him with his secrets, but now he found he was able to confide in him.

"Mr. Saunders, something went terribly wrong in my dreams. When I woke up in your apartment, Bogg and I were on a beach somewhere in Quint…Quint…_uhh,_ I think it was Mexico, there was a lot of Mayan Ruins."

"Ahh, _Quintanna Roo!_ I've heard of the place…go on, Jeffrey; tell me what happened. I forgot to ask you about it. Tell me everything before you forget."

Jeremy reached into his glove compartment and pulled out a notepad and pen. "Here. Write it down."

"Okay…I think we were on vacation and Kayla was there." He scribbled.

Jeremy's expression darkened. "Jeffrey, there _is _something else I didn't mention yet and I brought something with me for you to see. I was going to just forget it, but I can't. It's about Kayla Sheppard…but tell me your dream first."

Jeffrey was getting very excited at the unexpected turn of discussion. Things were starting to fall into place now. It was like he and Mr. Saunders were putting together a big puzzle, and each of them had half the pieces.

"We were standing on the ruins and I remember wanting to explore them. Bogg was with Kayla looking at the seaside and when I came down to them, he was acting crazy, I mean, he was in _pain!_ He could barely stand up and he kept calling out for his sister, her name was Joanna. He said things like, "I can't reach her…we're dying! It was so scary." Jeffrey shuddered.

The traffic cleared and Jeremy took a quick right down the side street. He had to get off the main Avenue. They were only a few blocks away from Jeffrey's apartment building. He found an available parking spot and grabbed it. He put on the car light and gave Jeffrey his full attention.

"Tell me more, Jeff, then what happened?"

"The last thing I remember was that Bogg disappeared! He faded away. And then Kayla was hugging me, telling me something about time fluxes and how Bogg didn't exist because he already died…_oh man,_ Mr. Saunders, I should have told you this earlier, but I was shocked to see you and trying to figure out how I knew who you were."

Jeremy's face blanched. He understood what Kayla meant in the dreams. The time flux was what caused temporal disorientation and created alternating realities. A deep anticipation and dread built up in him.

"You did start crying a little in your sleep, Jeff. I thought you would wake up, but you didn't. I didn't want to rouse you out of it either. What is it, is there anything else?"

"She just kept saying to remember us, don't forget _anything…"_

The sickening knot that tied in Jeffrey's stomach tightened. His voice choked up and he held his teacher's arm.

"Something terrible happened to Bogg back there, Mr. Saunders. It was something that affected his life in his past! When he disappeared…we did!"

Jeremy sat back and held his mouth. Everything was falling into place now, the dreams, visions, and the Guidebook's existence. He reached behind him and grabbed his briefcase; he pulled out an old red book wrapped in plastic.

"After Kirstie died in 1970, I was a mess, I didn't know what to do with myself. Sometimes I just felt like I wanted to die too, but then I started to remember the dreams I had and all the notes I kept. I realized that if I was a Voyager Aide in New York, then so was Kayla Sheppard. I got this fancy notion that I could actually look her up and I started to investigate. It took a while, I came across a few dead ends and the wrong women, but I managed to connect the name to an orphanage on the Lower East side. When I went there, the place was being shut out of business."

I made some inquiries and they gave me an old brown knapsack. They didn't care who I was and why I wanted it. They told me that back in the early fifties Kayla's landlord came and dropped it off, because she was supposed to have moved into her apartment and never did. He said he found it strewn about on the living room floor, but he never heard from her again. They sealed the bag up and that was that. The orphanage just assumed she ran away or died, they never did check. I couldn't believe the find. There were some personal items inside, money and this red diary. I read it through once and it just…freaked me out."

Jeffrey wiped his eyes, trying to control his heart from racing. "What happened, what was in the book?"

"Open it Jeff, see for yourself. After that year, I wrapped the book up and put everything related to these dreams in that metal box and locked it away. I vowed never to look at it again and I didn't, until_ tonight_."

Jeffrey unwrapped the plastic and opened the book with shaky hands. The pages were torn at the edges and yellowed with age. The spine cracked along the ridge and he had to keep his fingers on the corners to hold it in place. He started reading the scrawled, childlike handwriting. It was a little difficult because of the faded ink and misspellings, but he managed. Jeremy waited patiently until Jeffrey finished a few pages and then told him to look inside the back of the book. Jeffrey already trembled from the entries and he almost didn't want to.

"Go ahead, this is the key we've been wondering about, and it will help you make sense of a lot of your dreams."

Jeffrey opened the piece of drawing paper and gasped, it fell from his hand and Jeremy caught it. "That's us! That's Bogg and me! It's all true Mr. Saunders! It's all true and Kayla's diary proves it!"

The rain subsided and Jeffrey ran out of the car. He caught himself on a black wrought iron fence. He held his stomach and looked up at the sky.

"Bogg! Where are you? I need you!" He shouted into the air. "What happened to you! What!"

Jeremy ran up and kept him steady. Jeffrey was crying very hard. Jeffrey grasped him.

"I know what it is now! Something happened in Bogg's life that killed him and his sister, that caused some kind of…"

"Paradox!" Jeremy bellowed. He paced, rubbing his hand through his wavy hair, and throwing them up in the air. He spoke rapidly, trying to put everything together.

"It…i_t…it…_caused a disturbance in the time zone, causing a new alternate universe to form, a universe where Bogg had never existed…and…and…_this_ is that universe! Kirstie was right! She must have felt it too because she had a life with me in the other one. None of this _was_ meant to be! Our dreams _should_ be our _realities_!"

Jeffrey was still digesting everything he read in the diary, but what Jeremy told him made perfect sense. The teacher and student were excited about their discoveries; they walked fast to the apartment, discussing the new disclosures that came to them.

-O-

"I told you we don't know anything!" Elizabeth shouted as her attacker threw her against the wall. "Let us go!"

Billy and Dwight were lying in wait at the Covington apartment. As soon as Elizabeth and Tom came inside, they pounced on them. They were aggravated that Jeffrey Jones wasn't home. Dwight had Tom strip to his boxers and then tied him to the post of his king size bed to humiliate him. Billy grabbed Elizabeth's hair and brought her to the bedroom.

"Man! This one just _doesn't_ shut up. What do you mean you _don't know anything? _Jones is your _nephew!_" He tossed her next to Tom and pulled out a thin garrote from his pocket. "I'm sick of these two, wherever that kid is, he's bound to be back."

Elizabeth curled up next to Tom, he couldn't speak because Dwight had shoved a black, dirty sock in his mouth. Billy moved in toward her, snapping his weapon. Elizabeth screamed and Tom joined her in muffled tones. Dwight yanked out his taser and shoved Billy aside.

"There is a much easier way to do this with less fuss! Billy, you are so old school!"

He turned the taser up to maximum power.

-O-

John Henry and Regina came to the entrance. The Covington's managed to beat them to the apartment by ten minutes. They hit the bell numerous times until they were buzzed inside and rode the elevator to the top floor of the building.

"Hon, what are we gonna tell them? She's going to recognize us from the hotel."

"Listen, we're not gonna say anything Reg, we're just gonna grab Jeff and bring him back to Headquarters, no questions asked. What are they gonna do about it? Once we leave, this alternate reality or whatever it is won't exist!"

"You always have to storm into everything don't you? He's gonna be frightened out of his wits."

"He lived through it the first time around when Bogg did it, it will be alright."

The elevator doors opened and they walked onto the plush red carpet. Each floor consisted of five large apartments, 2G was at the end of the hall and they stopped by the door. Just as Regina was about to knock, John Henry grabbed her hand and silenced her. He put his ear to the door, and his eyes widened.

"Hon, there's people in there, I hear yelling!"

Regina listened in. "You're right? What's going on in there?"

"What if it's them? Paradox! They're after Jeffrey too! Stand back!"

John Henry gave two swift kicks to the door jamb and cracked the locks. Regina grabbed her taser from her pocket and they ran inside. The bedroom door was ajar, and Tom and Elizabeth were unmoving on the bed, clouds of smoke rose from their bodies.

"Damn!_ Too late!"_ John Henry yelled.

Billy leaped from the closet and knocked him to the ground, they began a scuffle. Dwight grabbed for Regina, but she elbowed him and took his arm. She flipped him onto his back. The fight between Billy and John Henry spilled out of the room. Billy gave him a quick uppercut that sent him spinning onto the couch. He held his jaw and shook his head.

"That's it you mangy sunuva..!" He didn't finish his oaths and lunged for him.

-O-

Jeffrey let himself into the main door with a key. They rode up the elevator in silence, giving each other brief, nervous glances. Jeffrey finally spoke.

"Do you realize what this means, Mr. Saunders? If we can get things right again, we won't exist anymore. I won't be stuck here with my aunt and you and Kirstie will be married in the Brownstone…you won't be my…_my teacher_." The last thought hit Jeffrey almost as hard as the time flux discovery.

Jeremy knelt down to Jeffrey. He gazed at him. "I know that Jeff, I just thought of that now too. I really don't know how we're going to make things right again, but we have to try. For what its worth, you were my best student and a joy to have in class. I know if all this gets corrected, we'll be great friends either way. Besides, there's something good out of this…"

Jeffrey looked at him curious, his eyes brimmed over again with tears. "What's that…Jeremy?"

"No more homework and Saunder essays!"

Jeffrey's face crumpled in sadness. He grabbed Jeremy by his neck and sobbed in his suede jacket.

"I love your essays, Mr. Saunders! I'm…I'm scared! I don't want to _disappear, _I don't want to become _nothing…"_

The fear that gripped Jeffrey crept upon him too, but he didn't let it show. Jeremy held the boy tight.

"You'll never become _'nothing' _Jeffrey. You'll always have a special purpose, no matter where you are! Hey, we're not even going to realize anything happened, we won't even remember these lives and I'm happy about that for my own sake too. We'll always be pals."

Jeffrey pulled away and squared his shoulders. He clung to his teacher's arm.

"Please don't leave me alone, Jeremy…I need you. I don't have anyone."

Jeremy grasped his hand as the elevator doors opened. "I'm with you Jeffrey, count on it."

-O-

John Henry rammed into Billy and knocked him through the glass coffee table in the living room. He wasn't shocked to see two of the worst slime from VHQ in the apartment, but he couldn't let them hurt Jeffrey Jones. Billy was stunned, but recovered quick and ran for the front door. John Henry wiped his bloody nose and hopped over the glass shards. He dove for him, grabbing the tail end of his trench coat.

"Get back here ya creep!"

Billy wound up half dragging John Henry out the doorway and then he tripped right in front of the open elevator. Jeremy looked down in shock and slammed the 'door close' button. When Billy saw Jeffrey he threw his body between the closing doors, and tried to pull at his legs. Jeremy pushed Jeffrey to the corner of the elevator and kicked at Billy's arms and hands.

John Henry ran forward and threw his large body on top of Billy, keeping him in a choke hold. He looked at Jeremy stunned.

"Saunders!"

"Sheppard?"

"Don't let that boy go anywhere, he has to come with us! We're Voyagers!"

"Yes…yes! You are!"

Regina screamed from inside. John Henry dropped his hold on Billy's head; he was almost losing consciousness. Jeffrey ran out from the elevator before Jeremy could stop him.

"I know you! I saw you in my dreams, you're John Henry Sheppard!"

John Henry smiled at him and stood up. "Hot damn! You _do _remember! Hey man, hold him down, don't let him go anywhere and don't let him touch that omni!" He ran back to the apartment.

Jeremy kept his knee in Billy's back and Jeffrey grabbed the omni off his belt loop. A few apartment doors opened.

"What's going on here? I called the Police!" An old woman with curlers in hair shouted.

Billy regained his senses and pushed Jeremy off him, he shot his taser right near her head, melting one of the rollers. She shrieked.

"Get back inside you old bag! All of you get back inside!"

He shot at the other doors and they all slammed shut. Jeremy dove for Jeffrey and held him down, covering his body as laser charges flew all around. Billy stepped up to them laughing.

-O-

Dwight wasn't a big man, but he was still able to get the better of Regina. He whacked her across the cheek and she landed on the bed in pain. She rolled over fast so she wouldn't touch the Covingtons. Their bodies were still charged with thousands of volts of electricity. She kicked Dwight in the chest and he sprawled backwards, landing in the closet. All the clothing and the shelving fell on top of him. John Henry ran to her side, breathless.

"Darlin', you all right?"

"Yeah I am, he almost got me though."

John Henry traced the red welt on her cheek. He went to the closet and picked Dwight up, shaking him.

"Who sent ya? Lorna? Answer me!"

"You got that right…_pardner_." Dwight wheezed. He was dizzy from the tumble.

John Henry tossed him back to floor. He approached the bed. "Babe, be careful! They're still charged."

He avoided contact with his skin, and tore the ropes off of Tom's arms. He tossed them to Regina. "Here! Shoot fire, I gotta get back to Jeff and Saunders! We gotta get them both back. Tie him up good!"

Regina grabbed Dwight's omni and tossed it across the room. She wrapped the rope around his arms in tight bonds.

-O-

"Well, well, well, what do you know? Two birds with one stone! _Like the fella once said, ain't that a kick in the head?_" He snarled in a singsong voice.

Billy moved his foot back, ready to kick Jeremy in the face, but Jeremy's hand shot out and grabbed his ankle.

"I don't think so _RYAN! _You're nothing but a stupid file hacker that couldn't even advance to level B." He rumbled with an onslaught of memories.

He used all his strength and yanked hard, Billy stumbled into the wall, and knocked his head. He shook off the blow and whipped his taser up. Jeremy staggered up, and kept Jeffrey shielded behind him.

"Look at you, you're nothing but a pathetic old school teacher, no life and no woman…man that Kirstie was a hot one. After I'm through with you, I think I'll go back in time a few years and give her a few rounds with a real man. Maybe I'll just tie you up so you can wa…"

Jeremy's eyes went wide in a rage. He ran at Billy and punched his face. "Shut up! Don't you ever talk about her like that!"

John Henry ran down the hall, he pulled out his taser. "Saunders! Look out!"

Jeffrey grabbed Jeremy's waist and pulled him back just as Billy pressed the button. Billy slid down the wall, unconscious from John Henry's taser. Jeremy felt the electricity enter his body and travel to his heart. He stiffened and forced himself out of Jeffrey's arms so he wouldn't jolt him. He collapsed on the ground in heaving gasps.

_"NO! NO!_ Mr. Saunders!" Jeffrey knelt down and cried into his jacket. Jeremy's body twitched and he choked, his eyes fluttered open and shut.

"Jeffrey…Jeff…_be strong!_ They need you. Everything will be alright…maybe it's…it's…better this way…I'll see you again."

Jeremy closed his eyes and Jeffrey screamed and shook him. John Henry reached over to feel his pulse. He was gone. He got up and punched the wall, causing a deep crack. Jeffrey grabbed John Henry's shirt. He beat on him in a rage.

"Do something! Don't let him die! I need him! I need him to help me! Save him! Save Bogg! We have to save Bogg and fix it!"

John Henry had to struggle with the hysterical boy so he wouldn't push in Billy's omni; he jerked it out of his hand.

"This is all an unreality kid! We are gonna make this right! I promise!_ I promise!"_

Regina came over and covered her mouth; tears ran down her cheeks at seeing the older Jeremy Saunders on the floor. She sank down next to John Henry.

"What…what happened, John?"

John Henry shook his head, his heart pounded and his blue eyes reddened from tears. "I was too late Reg…too late again! I'm such a damn failure."

Jeffrey stood angry, he wrenched himself from John Henry. "Yes you are! You could have saved him! What about my aunt and uncle, did you let them die too?"

John Henry winced at the words; He heaved his big shoulders and wiped his nose again. He couldn't look the boy in the eye.

"They _did _die! What kind of Voyagers are you? Bogg would _never_ have let any of this happen! You are the worst!"

Regina approached him gently. "Jeffrey…we must take you back to Voyager's Headquarters and make everything right. We need you to help us find Phineas Bogg and save his life in his past so_ none_ of this happens. You have to stay focused and tell us everything you know. The whole future of the Voyager race is at stake here. History is completely off kilter...Please help us…_please_."

She squeezed his shoulders and he looked up at her with wan eyes, all his fight gone.

"If stay here, I have _nothing_, _no one_. I'll help you. That's what Bogg would do."

John Henry patted Jeffrey's back. "I'm no Phineas Bogg, kid, but I try my best. I'm so sorry."

Jeffrey's anger faded, he remembered the man had helped and comforted him on the Brooklyn Bridge when he was tied up with the bombs. He even risked his life and tore him out of the restraints with his own teeth.

"Is there anything you need Jeff, before we go?

"Yeah, my notebooks, all of them. It's in my desk drawer, I'll go…"

John Henry stopped him. "No, don't go in there, I'll get them for ya."

When John Henry returned, Jeffrey was struggling to keep his composure and hugged Regina for support. Suddenly, a swarm of police officers burst through the stairwell and out of the elevator. They pointed at them with shotguns.

"Freeze! Nobody move! Hands in the air _now!"_

John Henry raised his arms with the omni in his palm, he nudged Regina with his knee and she slid her foot close and wrapped her leg around his, keeping one hand Jeffrey's shoulder.

Jeffrey clasped the journals and gazed determined at Jeremy Saunders. "I'm gonna save you. You, Bogg, Kayla and everyone else! I won't let you down."

"We said hands in the air!" They cocked their guns. "Good! Now that thing in your hand, lower it to the floor, slowly!"

Dwight wobbled out of the apartment with his taser up.

"Don't even think about leaving, Voyagers!"

"He's got a weapon!" The cops opened fire.

John Henry pushed the omni, leaving Billy to deal with the chaos as they raced through the cosmos.


	11. State of Emergency

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 12: State of Emergency**

**_OMNI CONTROL CENTER_**

The stiffness in Joseph's arms had become unbearable. He glanced at Bobby and the expression on his face told him he felt the same. Paradox Voyagers Drake and Lorna had everyone on their stomachs with their hands behind their heads for the last three hours. Joseph had no idea how the other members of Pioneer fared out on their missions. He had only heard back from a few after his warning was issued. He had a bad feeling when he saw Drake leave the center an hour earlier, only to return with a wicked smile on his face. He struggled to hear the conversation when Drake pulled Lorna aside near the Omnibus.

"Well, Lorna, we have Pioneer right where you wanted them."

"Perfect! What's their condition?"

"I'd say they are a very unresponsive group of settlers at the moment."

"How many do you have Drake?" She asked, keeping an eye on the Omnibus. After the omnis were disabled, no voyages were made, field workers were stuck in their current time zones and history was slowly but surely unraveling. "Red is such a beautiful color…isn't it?"

"Leaving Bogg, Jones, Dunne, Sheppard and Saunders _out_ of the equation, I have six. Two were on premises; O'Neill and the young doctor O'Connor were in the Medical Center having a little love fest. A bit of a struggle with O'Neill of course, but we had them subdued in no time. Then there was Tom, he put up quite a chase using that portal, but we got him."

Lorna could not suppress her anger; she slammed the Omnibus keyboard and then sucked in a deep breath. She looked at Drake livid.

"What…about…the_ other _Sheppard and his floozy of a wife, Regina? Where are_ they?"_ Her strident tone cut to Drake's deepest fears, failure of an incomplete assignment. How could he forget those two? They fought alongside Bogg on the Brooklyn Bridge. The memories of that past event were hazy to him.

"We…we haven't been able to locate them."

"What do you mean Drake? You _can't_ locate them? Bill told me all the omnis were traceable!"

"Apparently the Pioneers were working on putting a cryptogram on their omnis like I had done, and these two were the first to get it."

Lorna laughed resigned, then picked up a chair and threw it across the room. Nobody on the floor moved a muscle, even when it shattered a few monitors. "I should have known! Why did I even bother to get you back? I have no use for you, Drake! You are an incompetent egotist!"

Lorna recharged her weapon and marched over to Joseph. "Get up! I want to know how to disengage those codes, _now!"_

Joseph rose and looked Lorna square in the eye. He feared for the lives of the others, but they understood the magnitude of being a Pioneer. Charles Sheppard was the ultimate example and his life and work were not going to be in vain.

"I am not telling you or your cronies anything, Lorna! You're just going to have to accept the fact that we have an upper hand."

Lorna shoved him to Drake. "Take him to his group, I'll show them who has the upper hand!"

Drake kept his laser to Joseph's head and led him out of the center. Joseph kept his hands in front of him and his head down. This assault on VHQ had gone on long enough. He took a chance and crouched low, kicking his leg out in a skilled martial arts fashion. This maneuver threw Drake off guard and he toppled backwards. Joseph dived for the laser and he grabbed it. He hoisted Drake up with a tight grip around his chest.

"Voyager Bogg told us all about you, you coward! He said you weren't too hard to beat down. Now, _I _want _you_ to lead me to my group. Do you understand?"

"_Alright!_ But you are not out of these woods yet, just you wait!"

-O-

Bobby Peters had kept a sharp gaze on the Omnibus for any activity contrary to Paradox's interferences. He noticed that the red light disappeared from Saunder's time line and the whole line went dark. That was not a good sign, it most often meant death. Bobby gulped back tears, as long as history was in disarray, the time line on earth was false. Lorna took note of the change and laughed.

"One down! Two more to go!" She yelled triumphant. "I've always hated that singing nit!"

Bobby's gaze shifted to Jones' time line and he caught a yellow blip. That was a sign of temporal interference, or that someone was removed from their particular time zone. He remembered the anxiety he felt when Voyager Bogg had removed Cleopatra from hers, and then Jackie Knox from Pearl Harbor. The OCC also had a field day when Isaac Wolfstein came off the charts. Bobby's courage was renewed and he crawled towards the Omnibus.

Bobby looked at the rest of the workers; some of them followed his lead. He caught Tina's eye. This whole time she had remained under the desk, but she waved at him and quietly rolled the chair in his direction. She made a pushing motion with her arms. He nodded and inched his way to it.

Lorna turned and caught Bobby moving. She shot her laser in his direction and he ducked. The beam sliced through the chair, and it went up in flames. This was the distraction Bobby needed. He ignored the flames that licked at his hand and pushed the chair full force into Lorna. She screamed as her skirt caught on fire and the chair knocked her against the Omnibus. Bobby managed to rise up and he ran toward her. She snuffed out the flames and raised her weapon. He stopped short and put up his hands.

"You are going to pay with your life for that, Aussie!"

-Oo-

Traveling faster than the speed of light through the cosmos shook Jeffrey right to the core. His body felt weightless as he and the Voyagers fell onto the floor. They landed with a thud in a large white room filled with scores of multicolored electronics and state-of-the-art computers. There was no time to look around. Regina landed on top of a woman with a smoking dress.

_"Reg! _Get the gun from her!" Bobby shouted, he tried to wrap his burnt hand with a piece of his shirt and Tina came to his aid.

Regina wrestled with her. Lorna continued to pull on the trigger, sending laser beams blasting all over the room, everyone scattered under any available cover.

"John! Protect Jeffrey!"

John Henry kept Jeffrey's body covered. Lorna was putting up a rough fight with Regina and clawed at her face, then kneed her in the stomach. Jeffrey watched frightened, but his anger intensified. Lorna Turner was the woman who tried to kill Kayla and who took over the operations from Drake. _She_ was responsible for Bogg's death; she was responsible for everything that went wrong. He jerked John Henry's taser from his belt and squirmed out from under him. He moved too fast for John Henry to catch him and darted in Lorna's direction. Regina lifted Lorna off the floor and pushed her back, she felt winded and needed to stop fighting, the scratches burned deep in her cheek and she grabbed her middle.

Jeffrey wasn't sure how to work the device but he aimed it at Lorna and pushed a red button. He felt a buzz and his hand briefly went numb as an electric charge surged out of it and zapped her in her chest. Regina leaped back astonished.

"I hate you! _I hate you!_ You killed Bogg! You killed him!" Jeffrey's face contorted in pain at all the lost memories.

Tears streamed down his cheeks and he almost zapped her again. Suddenly he realized what he was doing and he dropped the taser. Bogg would have been disappointed in him for resorting to such means, he was not a killer. It was too late, beams of electricity still poured out and the Omnibus flared from the overload of energy.

_"NO! _We can't let it be destroyed!" Bobby yelled, racing for a fire extinguisher.

"Forget it man! Stop! Look!" John Henry pulled him back as he grabbed it.

Lorna's mouth was agape and Jeffrey was rooted to his spot. He stared horrified as her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. She banged on the Omnibus with both fists and screamed. Sparks flew and her whole body smoked, surges of electricity pulsated through her in waves of blue volts. Every light and computer in the entire complex flickered on and off, but went stable when the back-up generators kicked in.

John Henry grabbed Jeffrey, who had fallen into a state of shock. He ran with him and all the others to the opposite corner of the room, in case the machine blew up. Bobby and his assistants rushed over with the fire extinguishers and foamed everything at full blast. Lorna's charred body slumped to the ground and the Omnibus died with her.

Jeffrey sobbed uncontrollably in John Henry's shirt. John Henry held him in a strong embrace. Regina came to them and the three hugged tight. Jeffrey's voice came out in choking fits.

"I…I…I _killed_ someone! I'm a _murderer! _Bogg will hate me! My father would hate me! _Oh God!_ I want to go home! I want everything back the way it was! Please! _Please! Fix it!"_

Jeffrey wailed in the center of the room, pulling at his shirt and hair. He started pushing all the buttons on the Omnibus. "Fix it! Work! Work!" He bawled._  
_

"John we have to get him to the infirmary now!"

Regina and John Henry left the astounded crew and brought him to an examining room.

-O-

"NO! _NO!_ I want Bogg! _I need Bogg!_" Jeffrey screamed in hysterics as the doctors strapped him to a cot. He kept thrashing around, but his fighting slowed when they injected him. Within a minute his yelling subsided and he passed out into a much-needed stupor.

John Henry slumped in the chair near the cot and held his temples. The head doctor approached him.

"He'll be fine now, it's not the strongest sedative, but it should keep him out for at least an hour. We have strict orders from the Council not to leave the medical area. There's a planet wide state of emergency since Lorna and Drake took the OCC hostage."

"We know that doc…but Lorna's dead and Drake is gone."

"She's dead? I can't believe it! We just had a raid on Sector eight, Marty was kidnapped with O'Neill, I have no idea where they went."

Regina couldn't stop pacing and she even resorted to biting her nails, a habit she had abandoned long ago.

"Doctor Wilson, what about Jeffrey? We brought him here because he was the one who killed Lorna with the taser; things just went out of control. He didn't mean it, and he went into a shock. Is he going to be safe here?"

"Our quarters are locked tight and if anyone tries to mess with us in this Sector, they have another thing coming." He said.

John Henry stopped rubbing his temples and glanced at the short and bespectacled doctor with a weary smile.

"Oh yeah! Why, Wilson?"

"This is Sector five, in here we store samples of every infectious disease known to man throughout history. Our good friends and neighbors at Sector six house the Poison Control center. Unless they want a custom made strain of Ebola laced with arsenic and a pinch of strychnine, they better watch out! We've prepared special vials just in case of another ambush. A gruesome end…but, oh boy, are we ready for them!"

John Henry patted the doctor's back and managed a small laugh. He sat next to his wife. He peered at her, trying to imagine her thoughts. She stared into the hallway, the emergency lights flickered and bathed her face in a red glow. Her eyes closed and she began to cry. She put her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair and kissed her.

"We're gonna get out of this baby, I promise. I'm not making any more mistakes."

Regina caressed his hands. "John, you did what you had to do, and the best way you knew how at the moment. Jeffrey was angry and hurt. He's so confused by all this, but deep down he must know it's not your fault."

They spent the next few minutes in silence, trying come to terms with all the tragedy. Regina finally spoke up.

"I can't believe it! It was so fast. John we can't sit on this. I'm going to take Jeffrey's notebooks to the Archives and start looking through them. I just need to relax, I…"

John Henry's communicator went off.

_"John, come in! This is Joseph, do you read me?"_

"Loud and clear, man, listen, we're back! You won't believe it…Lorna was…!"

_"Explain later! I need your help in the anti-gravity chamber at the VTU, hurry… I can't!…"_

Joseph's voice cut off. The Voyagers ran across the campus to the Voyager Training Unit. The anti-gravity chamber was used in preparing the Voyagers to cope with the often-disorientating effects of flying through the cosmos. It tested their tolerance for the speed, flying, and sometimes the loud noises that accompanied it. They made it to the control room of the chamber and stopped short of the glass window. The remaining members of Pioneer were suspended in mid air, their bodies pinned to the wall with their arms above their heads. They saw Joseph unconscious, floating in the center. Drake stepped out from the shadows with two other Paradox members, all pointing weapons at them.

_"Ah,_ The Sheppards! How kind of you to join us! Tough news about Lorna, but _alls well that ends well_, Lorna's been a thorn in my side for too long! I'm actually proud of this version of Jones. I can turn that hot rage into something very useful to our cause! However, now that I am back in control, _no one_ is going to stop me!"


	12. A hero to many

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 12: A hero to many**

_**Breezy Point England, May 12**__**th**__** 1709**_

"Sonora and I are disappointed in you all. We are a well-respected family along this entire coast and you have sullied our good name. You have brought punishment upon yourselves by refusing to listen. Perhaps I can put it in a way that you will understand."

Phineas rolled his eyes when Jeremiah's back was turned and Kayla elbowed him. She was used to reprimands, but they never had quite an impact on her as this one. She respected Jeremiah and wanted to learn from his example.

"When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. If we don't have clear direction of where we are going we will be adrift. We all need a proper course to follow, a compass, if you will, to keep us on the_ right_ course. As your parents, Phineas, we have tried our best to give you that guidance and be the compasses that you and Joanna desperately need. The same goes for Vinchenzo. What happens when a ship runs off course? It is lost and adrift in a turbulent sea. I never want my ships to sail without one, and I would always turn to it, no matter how much I _think_ I know my direction. I don't want my children to be lost in a turbulent world."

Jeremiah put his firm hand on Phineas' shoulders. "Why must you disobey us? How many times has your mother warned you of traveling in those areas? How often have I told you, _both_ of you? I am fully trained in my navigational skills, I am the Captain. I am the father and guardian. I've weathered a lot of storms and know much more than the first mate!"

Jeremiah faced his son and Phineas couldn't make eye contact. He very well remembered the other time his father had found him in Sheepshead Bay. It was a matter kept privately between them, and his father was lenient enough not to tell Sonora.

Phineas, Vinchenzo and Kayla sat in a row in the center of his father's study. Jeremiah did not utter a word to them until this morning, but Phineas knew that his father was in a silent rage by the way his nostrils flared and jaw quivered. He also shifted uncomfortable under his mother's furious, pale-eyed stare. The lines around her mouth deepened into a frown that could only come from utter disappointment in her children. Jeremiah paced around them in hard, deliberate steps and the trio fidgeted to the opposite direction every time he passed them by.

"I am going to start with the source of all this trouble." His steady eyes happened upon Kayla. "I would like to know what possessed you to wander into this village knowing very well the hazards for a such a maiden as yourself?"

Kayla decided to be direct and honest with Jeremiah Bogg. His presence commanded reverence and attention, however she saw that behind his anger was a deep, loving concern for the welfare of all involved. She held back tears and keeping her posture erect. She opened her mouth to speak…

"It _wasn't _her fault! She is not from this area and didn't know Sheepshead Bay was full of ruffians. She was curious to explore her surroundings, you can't fault her for that!" Phineas declared, jumping up from his seat. Sonora rose with him.

_"Phineas Adam!_ Your father was not addressing you. You will speak when spoken to, young man. _Sit down!"_

"But mother, this is ridiculous! We sat here in silence long enough. Vinchenzo is injured, I'm a little worse for wear and I reek of rotten clams since father made me_ sleep_ in the stable room. Kayla has been abused once again, have some pity on us!" He shouted at her.

Vinchenzo looked at his friend incredulously. He hung his head and moved the cold piece of meat from his eye, onto his bruised cheek. It was rare that Phineas defied his parent's authority. He did so only when his passions were strong, and in the last few days Phineas couldn't contain himself over Kayla. When the boys were alone, Phineas marveled over her, even admitting he was 'in love' with her. The news came as no surprise to Vinchenzo. Phineas often fell for many young women, but this time his emotions ran deeper. Vinchenzo felt Kayla pat his hand in reassurance.

Kayla tugged at Phineas shirttails."Please, Phineas, your mother is right! They were talking to me, not you…and I was going to say how sorry I am for…"

Phineas raised his hand to silence her and felt his father's eyes burning into him.

"You would be wise to listen to her, Phineas. You are treading on thin ice with this behavior. Apologize to your mother now."

"For _what?" _Phineas spewed. "Speaking my mind around here? I'm trying to tell you what happened because Vinchenzo and I were the ones involved in the brawl, not Kayla. You don't even have a right to be mad at her. She's not your child! We can all get over this much more quickly if you just stop with your showy displays of authority!"

Every jaw in the room dropped. Jeremiah unfolded his arms and banged on the table. "You are severely punished now, I…"

"Phineas, _sit down!_ _I _will deal with that _smart mouth_ of yours later!" Sonora warned him, embarrassed at her son's conduct toward her in front of the others.

Phineas went to the doorway. "Fine mother, _later!" _He slammed the door behind him and ran from the study.

Phineas knocked into Joanna as she entered the drawing room. She was happily distracted, carrying her favorite doll with ebony hair and brown eyes. She admired the lavender dress she had just stitched for her and wanted to show her mother the progress she made in her sewing. The doll slipped from her hands and landed onto the floor, it's head cracked in three places. She let out a cry.

"Phinnus…_No! _You bro…_broke her!_ My…friend…best friend!" She started to cry uncontrollably. Phineas felt terrible, but his anger got the better of him. He picked up the doll and shook it at her. The rest of her porcelain head splintered onto the floor.

"NO! Phinnus!"

"Joanna this is a_ doll!_ A toy! Get some real friends! You're too old for these, enough already!" Phineas dropped the doll again and Joanna sobbed louder. He grabbed his ears.

"You're such an infant, do you realize how noisy you are? No, _of course not!_ You can't hear yourself because you're _deaf _and _dumb_!"

Joanna was taken aback at her brother's cruel words and facial expressions. She knew he was angry since yesterday, but she never imagined he would treat her like this. She forced herself to stop crying and rubbed her eyes.

"Phinnus…you are_…mean! _Why? I did…not hurt…you."

Phineas eyes flashed and he gritted his teeth. "The name's _PHINEAS_, will you ever say it right? Probably not!"

Joanna held her mouth and cried again. She furrowed her brow and shoved Phineas into the dining hall table.

"I don't like you…_no more!"_

She knelt down to pick up the remaining pieces of her doll. Phineas started to help her, then changed his mind and ran out of the Manor. He just wanted to be alone. He darted all the way to the beach without stopping. He pulled at his hair and kicked the sand, then picked up rocks and shells and flung them into the surf. Phineas kicked off his boots and rolled his pants up, walking knee deep into the water. He always loved the way the water felt on him; swimming was one great joy in his life and right now, the waves calmed his troubled spirits.

-O-

Kayla dropped her carryall on the sand and approached him cautiously. She had a feeling he would be in this area. After a big apology to the Boggs and Vinchenzo she felt it necessary to leave the Manor for good. She didn't want to bring anymore reproach to the family. Kayla had no idea what she was going to do and she was still confused over the red light on the omni. Right now, she was irritated that Phineas was so rude to his family and she was determined to tell him so.

Phineas felt someone touch his shoulder and he swung around with his fists up. Kayla stumbled back and he grabbed her arm to steady her. She pulled back with her hands on her hips. Phineas glanced down and noticed that she had knotted her dress up on the side and her slender, legs were revealed nearly up to the thigh. He swallowed hard and looked back at her face.

"Phineas, up here! You had no right to yell at your parents like that! They love you and were very worried about us. Your parents deserve to have your respect! They feed you, give you clothes, a gorgeous roof over your head and you act like a _spoiled brat._ I wish I had a family to tell me right from wrong, a family that loved me as much as yours does you! If you ever want to be _half_ the man your father is you better wisen up, weisenheimer!"

Phineas was ready to protest, but she pointed hard into his chest. "_And another_ _thing_, how dare you do that to your sister! She is up in her room hysterical crying because you were so horrible to her…you…you…_dirty troll!_ How could you break a little girl's doll! If I had some Elmer's glue I'd fix her up and then seal your big mouth shut!"

Kayla was ranting, she didn't care that Phineas looked at her oddly when she mentioned the glue. "You need to go back to the manor and apologize to everyone in that house. I'm glad your father made you sleep in the stables, because right now that's where you belong…_you animal!_"

Phineas gawked at her stunned, then turned away and sulked. "Oh go away then! I already have to deal with them, am I going to have you on my back too?"

Kayla squeaked in frustration and then leaped _onto_ his back. Phineas grabbed her legs and righted himself before he toppled over.

"What the…? What are you doing?" He demanded.

"I_ am_ going to be on your back buster! Until you say that you were wrong!" She commanded him.

"_OH YEAH?_"

Phineas surged into the ocean until he waded up to his neck. Kayla kept trying to shift higher, but he gripped her legs tighter.

"My head is not as strong as my back! I feel like taking a little swim right now, monkey!"

Phineas motioned to dive under.

"NO!_ NO!_ Don't, please!"

"Then get off of me!"

Kayla kept her resistance. "Not until you listen to me and say you're sorry!"

"NO!"

Phineas dropped his grip from her legs and she tore at his shirt, screaming. She had never swam in her entire life. Her feet couldn't touch the bottom and she sank in a panic. Phineas sighed and turned around, his eyes widened when he saw she was gone. A wave washed over him and Kayla still did not rise.

_"Oh no!_ What did I do? Kayla!"

He dove under and saw her struggling close to the sandy bottom. He swam up to her and held her under her arms. They weren't too deep and he broke the surface quick. Kayla sputtered and clawed at him, trying to remain afloat.

"You big jerk! I could have died!" She feebly punched on his chest. "I couldn't…I couldn't swim back up! I can't swim."

"Kayla! If you struggle you will bring us both under again. It's alright, I'm holding you, and you won't sink."

Phineas swam her to the shoreline. They rushed onto the sand and another large wave knocked Kayla on top of him. She grabbed his collar and forced him to meet her gaze.

"Now I have you! You are going to hear me out! Phineas Bogg, you are the _most…"_

Phineas grabbed her face and kissed her. She pulled away and looked at him astounded…and he kissed her again. She fell into it with passion. Phineas enfolded her in his arms and rolled her onto her back. Kayla forced any thoughts of feeling threatened out of her mind.

"Stop fighting me. I…I love you." Phineas said.

"It's only been a few days you don't even know me." Kayla gripped the back of his neck as he kissed her collarbone.

"I know enough. Stay with me."

After a few moments of desire, Phineas supported her head gently in the crook of his arm. He stroked her face, studying her strong features with his fingertips and admiring her heart shaped jawline and chin cleft. Kayla smiled at the tenderness she saw in his eyes.

"I want to be with you. I really do." She grinned.

Her mind filled with a whirlwind of memories. Phineas Bogg was to become a Voyager and she would meet him when she was a child, at least that is what she dreamed. Why did it feel like such a reality? As well as all the things she learned about him and a planet called Voyager, red lights, green lights, omnis, computers and Guidebooks. The concepts had made her head spin for ten years. A very disconcerting thought came to her, the light on her father's omni was red in Phineas' time zone and she had grown up _without_ him or Artie and Jeffrey, because…_he wasn't there to save her!_

Kayla pushed Phineas off and leaped to her feet, Phineas rose up confused. "Kayla, what's wrong? I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

"No! It's just that…_Oh Phineas!" _She fell onto her knees in sobs. Phineas grasped her. He brushed the wet sand off her hair and dress.

"I'm very sorry. Okay, if it means that much to you I will go right in and apologize to my family. You were absolutely right and I have taken them all for granted. I deserve whatever punishment I get." He said remorseful, sneaking in a few more kisses to her neck.

Kayla nearly fell back into his embrace, but stopped herself, she had to warn him somehow. "No, no it's not that…but I'm glad you realize…it's…it's…I'm worried about you, Phineas! I have a feeling something terrible may happen to you and it can't! You can't die!"

She grabbed hold of his dripping shirt and hugged him, never wanting to let go. He did the same to her, but he didn't comprehend what she was talking about.

"Shh, _shh_…don't cry, Kayla. Nothing is going to happen to me and I'm not going to die, why do you think that?" His eyes narrowed and he held her back. "What do you know about me?"

Kayla shook her head. "I…I can't tell you…but it's wrong! It's _red_…I mean…no, I _can't_…I just want you to keep yourself safe and don't do anything foolish, nothing you will regret Phineas! Please!"

Her pleading words and tears made Phineas shudder inside. He couldn't fathom what caused this change in her. She said 'it's _red'_, and he remembered the brass device. The _light_ was red on it! Before he could question her, Kayla picked up her bags and started to leave. He grabbed her shoulders and made her face him.

"No, you said you want to stay with me! I confessed my love for you. I won't let you leave until you tell me what all this talk is about! Does this have to do with your machine? You are scaring me with your thoughts; do you realize that? And I don't scare easily."

"That's just it, Phineas! I can't tell you because_ I don't know_ what it is. Forget that machine, it's broken now. All I know is that you have a bright future ahead of you, you really become something special…a hero to many…but you won't if your life is somehow in danger…I…can't stay. I have to go!"

Phineas wouldn't release her. Intense worry crossed his face. "How do you know those things, are you some fortune teller?"

"No…no, not that at all…it's just…_you!_ I can see it in you that you will become great but not while I'm around."

"What do you mean about my life being in danger? Where is the danger?"

"Phineas, please…you're hurting me."

He didn't realize how hard he gripped her; he dropped his hands from her arms.

"I'm sorry…alright, I'll keep myself safe, but there is no guarantee what will happen tonight, tomorrow, or the next day, each day has its own anxieties. I cannot live my life in fear of a destiny that I know nothing about. I refuse to do that. There is too much in life to do and see. We all might as well be a world of recluses if we thought as you do now!"

Kayla bit her lip and stared mournful at him. She couldn't think of another way to make him understand it any more than she did. She closed her eyes and kissed him again. He swept her in his arms and pressed her close to him, whispering in her ear.

"You are a strange girl, Kayla, but just the one I can imagine spending my whole life with. Please don't leave. I will explain everything to my parents and I will tell them that I love you and want to marry you! I am of perfect age and good background, handsome and strong…and you will have everything your heart desires!"

Kayla silenced him with another kiss. Something clicked in her heart and she knew that his plans, as beautiful as they sounded and as much as she wanted them, were not meant to be. She moved away from him, ready to break down again.

"Please let me go…I wish you all the best in the world now…and in the future…keep yourself safe, keep your family safe and Vinchenzo…give him my love. Phineas, I love you, I always have…and always will."

Kayla ran from him, hoping he wouldn't follow. She collapsed behind a rock mass and cried for a very long time, and then she picked herself up to begin her journey; she had no idea where she would go.

Phineas stood on the shore for a long while, with a profound grief in his heart and foreboding in his mind as he watched her form disappear down the shoreline. He trudged home, praying no harm would come to her. He spotted Joanna in the backyard, crying on her favorite swing. She still clutched her broken doll. Why did he feel so distant from everyone all of a sudden? It was not merely because they had an argument. He couldn't get Kayla's words from his mind; he was to become something special, _a hero to many._

Right now he felt like the worst human being in the world. He wasn't ready to face Joanna yet and he stole away into the stables. He picked up a brush and tended to the horses. After a few minutes, he tossed the brush and ran to the back room. Flinging himself on the cot, Phineas started to cry. He cried for his family and his lost love of a lifetime, and he cried over his own uncertain future.


	13. VHQ rebounds

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 13: VHQ Rebounds**

Jeffrey Jones held his head and squinted at the bright lights above him. He was covered in a silver thermal sheet that eased the tension in his muscles. He sat up and gazed around the room. It was a hospital room, not much different than the ones back home, however the colors were more welcoming. The walls were a soft mint green and the windows had long, white sheer curtains that allowed for a lot of natural light to enter. He looked to his left and saw a blinking machine, realizing that the wires from it were connected to his chest. It was a heart monitor, and it beat steadily. Jeffrey pulled the attachments off and came down from the bed. His knees were still shaky and his mind in mass confusion over the turn of events in the last few hours.

_'I can't believe I killed someone.'_ He thought with some dread. He wondered what the people here would do to him for it.

"It doesn't matter! Because I'm not even supposed to be here, I shouldn't even exist." He decided. The conversations he had with Jeremy Saunders helped him to understand the impact of Bogg's death and what his true reality should be.

He put on his sneakers and crept out of the room. He wanted to get out of this place and find the two Voyagers who brought him here. He waited until the halls cleared and scurried for the main exit. He noticed that red strobe lights blinked down the halls. He heard doctors murmuring from the other examination rooms.

_"Yes, Councilor, we are still on high alert here, no…no…we haven't heard anything from the others and we're extremely worried. I have no idea what Drake has done with them…the boy? We have him sedated. I know, but between you and I, he did us all a great favor, one down and one more to go…."_

Jeffrey couldn't believe his ears when he heard Drake's name mentioned. Wasn't he already dead from being exiled back to his own time line? No, none of that happened now that Bogg was gone. Jeffrey made up his mind. He was going to save Bogg somehow and make this nightmare end. Just as he put his hand on the doorknob he saw a shadow appear. He looked up and saw a very tall man smiling at him. He carried his marble notebooks.

"There you are, Jeffrey! For a moment I thought Drake got to you too."

_"Umm, _no…who are you?" Jeffrey recognized him as the Australian man with the extinguisher in the control room.

"I'm Bobby Peters, head of the Omni Control Center and a_ friend,_ I promise. I was hoping to find you here with the Sheppards, have you seen them, mate?"

"No, not since the…meltdown. Those machines in the room, it was my fault they broke down! I didn't know what to do, I didn't mean for anyone to die, I swear!" The panic rose in Jeffrey's voice and Bobby knelt down.

_"Shh, _don't worry about that now, Jeffrey. What's done is done. We built it once, we can easily rebuild it if we have to. There are other, smaller versions of that machine in this place. All the information is backed up too. And as for Lorna, she got what was coming to her; nobody is blaming you for a wanton murder. They are the guilty ones, she and that slimy group, Paradox."

"After what they did to Bogg, they all deserve what's coming to them. What is the machine exactly?"

"It's called an Omnibus, and it monitors all the Voyagers we have out in the field and the time zones they are in. Right before you landed in the room, I noticed the jump in your line; it turned yellow, which meant that you were removed from your current zone. You know I could have sworn that I saw Kayla Sheppard's line go yellow too, but I don't know for sure…Hey, I'm sorry about Jeremy. He's a great kid."

Jeffrey held back his tears and nodded. "He was a great _man_, he was my teacher in this other time-line. Bobby, I feel so bad for everyone, we have to fix it!"

Bobby knocked on Jeffrey's books with a wink and opened the door. He grabbed his hand and they rushed down the corridor.

"Hey, where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to another part of the OCC, where we have a smaller model of the Omnibus connected to the mainframe. It's in a small complex attached to the Archive Library. What I need you to do is go through these books thoroughly, I want to help you find out where Bogg could have died. It would have had to occur before he was a Voyager."

"I understand, but what about the others in Pioneer, where are they?"

"Drake has them somewhere on this complex, but so far our security team hasn't been able to locate them. Paradox immobilized a lot of our tracking systems and cameras; they seem to be good at doing that stuff. I also need to figure out how they tapped into our central processing unit. Believe me, I'm worried as heck."

-O-

"Don't you even think about going for that taser, Sheppard!" Drake commanded the Voyager. "Keep your hands where I can see them and no sudden moves."

Regina edged closer to her husband and they complied.

"Now turn around and put your hands on the wall!" The other Paradox member did it himself.

John Henry anticipated this direction, he caught Regina's eye and she gave him a slight nod.

"You're really making a big mistake, Dan…"

"Shut up, Sheppard, you always had a big mouth. Nothing like your uncle, at least he died quietly." The other man sneered.

John Henry cringed, but forced himself to let the remark slide. He leaned forward into the wall and then turned with a quick jab in Dan's nose. With his other arm he punched down on the back of his neck, and slammed him to the floor. Regina followed his lead and gave a high back-kick in the face of the other Voyager. He grabbed his cheek in pain and fell into Drake. They both landed fell. Regina ran to the control board and turned on the loudspeaker for the entire Academy.

"Code Red! _Code Red!_ Security to the Anti-Gravity Chamber! Security to the Anti-Gravity chamber!"

Within seconds, loud peals of alarms went off throughout the entire complex. John Henry knocked Drake out with a solid punch.

"Great job, darlin'!" He kept his weight on the other Voyager while Dan was still out.

Regina glanced at the chamber. The other Pioneers revived from their stupors and struggled to move. She switched the controls of the loudspeaker for them.

"Hey guys! Don't worry! We'll get you out soon…John, I don't know what to do, I've never worked these other controls before."

"Don't do anything, darlin.' The cavalry is coming now!"

-O-

Jeffrey looked up quick when he heard the alarms; Bobby came running from the control room.

"Did you hear that? That was Regina on the loudspeaker! They must have caught them! I'm going over there, Jeffrey, don't move from your spot…oh, did you come across anything?"

_"Umm, _no…I didn't."

"Okay, just keep trying, alright? There are people inside the Archives, so you're not alone."

"Got it! Thanks Bobby."

Jeffrey opened notebook number thirteen and quickly rifled through to the pages that said, '_Bogg Manor_.' He scanned through the story he wrote down. This was the only instance he could find of Bogg's existence before voyaging. It was a story that Jeremiah, Bogg's father, told them about a daring rescue from a peddler.

He read through his writings and groaned. There was no date. He tried to remember the dream; he did mention it was fairly warm. That was still no help to him. A continuous beeping noise went off from the Omnibus in the other room. Jeffrey looked around, and satisfied no one was watching, went up to it. This model was half the size of the one in the Control Center, but it seemed to have all the same functions. Jeffrey examined it; he saw a standard keyboard and side attachment.

"Yeah, that's the mouse, I remember Artie showing us…"

He looked at the screen for the source of the beeping. Bobby had typed in a few names and the one that blinked red was _'Dwight Roache.' _Jeffrey carefully moved the mouse and clicked on the name. A small window opened with an omni code that he didn't understand and then he saw the date, May 14th, 1709. He gasped, it was in the seventeen hundreds that Phineas lived. He remembered Dwight was the Voyager who locked him in the cellar and strapped a bomb to him on the Brooklyn Bridge; he would have no qualms about killing Bogg if he had the chance.

Jeffrey thought about Bogg's last moments before he faded in his dream.

_"Pain…everywhere! I'm…drowning…"_

That situation could have happened at anytime, but a fall off a cliff in a runaway wagon was bound to have caused pain and then drowning. Phineas had said his sister was locked in cage.

_Joanna! I can't reach her! I can almost see her grabbing for me...we're dying!"_

Phineas couldn't get to her because she was trapped! If he did manage to get her out with the hairpin like the story went, the carriage would have still fallen. Jeffrey looked around for an omni. If he could get back to the time zone he could try and stop this tragedy from occurring. He rifled through the shelves, only finding scattered nuts, bolts and a detached globe with clipped wires. Bobby came back into the room with a huge grin.

"Hey Jeff! Reg and John did it! They're on their way back here. The whole team was captured and placed in the anti-gravity chamber but they got them out. Everyone's going to the infirmary now for a check-up!"

He noticed the open window on the screen and ran to it, typing a few codes.

"How did this happen?"

Jeffrey didn't look him in the eye. "I heard it beeping and I clicked on his name, I wouldn't have done it, but I had some more memories. He's the one that killed Bogg and I know when! It's the date on the screen, but I know what happened!"

Bobby grabbed his arms. "Tell me!"

"Yeah! Tell us, Jeff! Cuz I'm on a roll now!" John Henry bellowed, coming in with Regina.

Jeffrey explained his thoughts and showed them his notebook; it was enough to satisfy them and John Henry and Regina adjusted their omnis to the date.

"Wait! I want to go with you! I need to see Bogg!" Jeff begged them.

The Voyagers all looked at each other miserable, Regina sat down and held his hand.

"Jeffrey, you know if you go back to this time zone, Bogg isn't a Voyager yet, he would have no idea who you were. And…when we do fix this…you and the life you have led up until now will cease to exist. Everything will be right again, just the way you remember it from the dreams."

"It wasn't much of a life after my parents died anyway…the other Jeffrey Jones has it much better doesn't he? He has friends, someone to look up to, a real future. What do I have if I go back? Nothing! My parents are dead, Mr. Saunders, my aunt and uncle…"

Regina couldn't contain her tears. "Jeffrey, that other Jeffrey Jones is _YOU_, it's always you, it's the situations around you that are going to change, that's all."

Jeffrey stepped away from her and looked at them all like a wounded puppy.

"Is it gonna hurt?"

John Henry put an arm around him. "Not at all kid, you won't feel it and the next thing you know you'll be back on that great vacation you were having with Bogg and Kayla."

"But I won't remember any of this will I?"

Bobby shut down the Omnibus after a few more readings.

"No, Jeff, neither will Kayla or Jeremy."

"This is so weird, but I guess I have to accept it."

Jeffrey felt oddly calm, his moment of shock and confusion had passed when all the truths were revealed with Jeremy in 1983.

"Hey, you think that's weird, we'll remember all this too, _and _the real time line. It just gives me a headache." John Henry said.

"Listen, I just discovered something else here, Dwight Roach is dead, and he was killed in 1983." Bobby announced.

"Wait, what does that mean? Wouldn't that affect him in the past?" John Henry was confused about the whole spectrum of time travel, paradoxes and abnormalities. He just did his job for the cause.

"Well, unless Dwight Roache stays in 1709 or comes back here, he has no future. If he's allowed to kill Bogg, the whole paradox starts all over again, it's the infinity loop, John."

"All this talk is making _me _loopy, Bobby. Okay, so if we stop him from killing Bogg, he's a free man?"

"No way, but we saved him from death in the alternate reality, just as we'll be saving Saunders. You just bring him right back here and the Voyager Courts will handle him for sure."

"And what happens to Drake?"

"Drake may be in the safe haven of Planet Voyager, but once Bogg's time line is corrected he goes with it. Remember, he was already tried and convicted."

"Okay…so we're dealing with an alternate reality Drake too…is this that infinity loop again?"

"No, you're restoring things to an 'N' jump, History is going to go along as planned..."

_"NO!_ What about Lorna? That means that she'll just come back here from the Brooklyn Bridge and start this mess all over again!" Jeffrey interrupted.

"No Jeff, It's a lot to explain, but Planet Voyager is not necessarily affected by Earth's time continuity. As soon as_ that_ Lorna tries to escape, we'll be ready for her, lock and key. Just like we're going to grab Dwight. Of course, this is only because we know the outcome of the Brooklyn Bridge mission. The first time around was a shock to all of us. Why do you think we are able to monitor the history of the planet and keep it on course?"

Jeffrey scratched his head in major confusion. "But _this_ Lorna's dead now…you mean all this is fake?

"An alternate reality for you, Jeff." Bobby put a consoling arm around his shoulder. "Just think of all this as a very bad dream."

"But what about Olivia? She was here and she disappeared." Regina questioned.

"That's because Olivia's history _on earth _was altered when Bogg wasn't there to save her on the Titanic."

Jeffrey held his head and looked up at Bobby. "Whatever you do, don't tell me its elementary."

Bobby smiled. "Never in a million years. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."

John Henry stood up, ready to make the next trip. "Let's cut all the jib-jab and get moving! I'm ready to squash this bug!"

-O-

The Sheppards were soon prepared to voyage. Bobby set up the transporter for them, so they would land exactly where they would need to in Breezy Point.

"You did good by us, Jeffrey. Without your memories and notes, we would still be trying to figure things out."

Jeffrey hung back. "I didn't do much at all, Bobby was able to get his system running and trace Dwight."

"No Jeff, you gave us the details we needed, we'll never forget this." He looked at his wife. "You know when we come back here, things are gonna be a little different."

"I know, but at least it will be on the right course. And Bogg will be safe and sound."

"That's all that matters guys, please don't fail him!" Jeffrey hugged the two Voyagers.

"I've failed enough, and I sure as hell won't fail again." John Henry said determined.

They stepped into the transporter and Bobby set the controls. He pushed a button and the two vanished in a shimmering haze.


	14. A bond throughout all time

**The Voyager's Aide: The Disappearance**

**Story II**

**Chapter 14: A bond throughout all time**

_**Breezy Point, May 13**__**th**__** 1709**_

Joanna Bogg couldn't hear the comical voices of the Punch and Judy puppets, but she laughed along with the other children when they beat each other with sticks. She didn't mean to wander too far from her father, but Jeremiah was taking awfully long conducting his business affairs with the Marina landlord's secretary. The process bored her. As the sweaty, red-faced, man rifled through his documents, she sensed her father's impatience growing. When the conversations over trade and barter became heated, Joanna tugged on his sleeve, asking to be excused to play outside. Jeremiah was so caught up he waved her away and the men continued the tirades in the stifling, little office.

When Joanna walked onto the cobblestone streets, an immense freedom overwhelmed her. She had to look at her hand to make sure no one was holding it. She ran to the man selling candied apples and bought one. She wandered past a toyshop and put her nose to the window. Her tears fell when she saw the beautiful porcelains staring back at her with vivid eyes and colorful dresses. Phineas had yet to apologize to her and she humbly told her parents _not_ to replace the doll. Rebecca was irreplaceable and she felt that her brother was right. She needed to make real friends. However, the pain of his rejection was still great inside her.

She had wandered to the middle of the bustling square, where the puppet show began and took her seat next to some other children. Just seeing them happy, made her the same. All the while, Joanna didn't realize Gavin the peddler watched her, and he followed through the crowds to greet her. When the show ended, Joanna felt hungry and decided to go to the Samson Bakery. She and her mother had been there often to buy delicious cakes and breads. Phineas always loved the big braided loafs and she liked the filling, round yellow rolls. Right now she wanted one of the little decorative cakes they had on display in the window.

She didn't get a chance to go inside, she noticed Gavin waving her over to his gaudy wagon, and he held out little gemstones. Joanna ran to him with a smile, and he kept his arms wide for a hug. She returned it, but an uncomfortable feeling welled up and she pulled away. She picked up his jewelry box and marveled at the contents.

"Hello, my little poppet! Did you enjoy the show?"

"Yes…it was…funny."

_"Ahh,_ Punch and Judy, two of my favorite characters…you know, poppet, you look very_ sad_, do you care to tell your friend Gavin what troubles you?"

Gavin lifted her up to sit on the open edge of the wagon and she tinkered with the baubles that hung from the sides. She finally looked up at him, but this time her gaze was angry.

"I…no…no, I can…not say."

"Oh, come, come, tell me. What notion can be so black? We are friends, and you can tell anything you want to me. I promise to keep it a secret!" Gavin crossed his heart with flair and raised his right hand high to the heavens. Joanna giggled, then became downcast.

"My…my brother doesn't like me…no mo…, he is…mean to me."

"Oh my dear! I'm sorry to hear that! Do you want to know why he is so mean to you? Because _I know." _He tapped his head with a smirk.

"You do?"

"Yes! The boy is jealous of you! Ever since you were born you have taken his place in your parent's hearts and he is finally admitting it to you in his own way. I bet he wishes you were never born at all. I bet he wishes that you would just…_go away!"_

Joanna gasped at the thought. Phineas always showed love to her and they had many good times together. But he _was_ the one to get into trouble with their parents and they scolded him much more often. She remembered the big fight from the other day, could Phineas really despise her that much?

"You…think so? I love…Phinnus! My mama…and papa…love me…to!" She announced.

Gavin gave her a broad smile and threw his hands out. "Of course you do, poppet! But if he doesn't love you back, what is the use? I'll tell you this. If you ever feel slighted or hurt by your brother again, I will be around and you can come talk to me."

Gavin put out his hand and she shook it. "You know, I have some toys inside that just might make you feel better. Perhaps you would like…_a dolly? _I have beautiful porcelains."

Joanna looked within and sure enough he had rows of pretty dolls stacked up high. She pointed to one in a green dress.

"No poppet, why don't you take a closer look, it's okay, you can feel them and see which one is best."

-O-

Kayla wiped the sweat off her brow and rubbed her hands on her apron. She just finished kneading a gigantic lump of dough and forming a dozen bread loaves. Long after leaving Phineas, she came to the village exhausted and hungry. After hours of tears and confusion, Kayla decided that she would have to start focusing on her life if she was going to be stuck in the Eighteenth Century. The husband and wife owners of the bakery took pity on her and allowed her a place to stay. Kayla impressed them by having the entire bakery cleaned and polished in the morning and they gave her a job. They were getting on in years and needed someone young and energetic to handle the workload.

She washed her hands and removed the apron; she really needed a break. Two women were spending an unreasonable amount of time trying to decide which pastries to buy. Kayla finally stepped in and asked what the occasion was. It was nothing more than a friendly garden party by a few wealthy women in Breezy Point. Kayla suggested the strawberry cheesecake squares and lemon tarts. She overheard them mention Sonora Bogg and how she would probably show up with her delicious blueberry pie.

When she peeked out the window, something disturbing caught her eye. It was Gavin, the peddler, and he had Joanna Bogg ready to go into his wagon. Kayla shouted to Mr. Samson that she was getting some air and ran from the bakery. She looked to her left and saw Jeremiah strutting to the square; he was angry and worried, no doubt searching for his daughter. She waved him down.

"Captain Bogg! Captain Bogg! Your daughter is with that jerk Gavin again!"

Jeremiah looked up and saw Kayla running toward him, she had flour on her face and in her hair. He looked to the direction she pointed and saw Gavin about to close up his wagon. He broke into a run and put a firm hand on the door. Joanna saw her father and climbed out. Jeremiah's temper was inflamed and he yanked the peddler by his collar.

"What do you think you are doing with my daughter? How dare you bring her into your wagon, you fiend!" He shoved Gavin and the man pretended to fall to the stones. He grabbed his arm in false pain.

_"How could you,_ Captain Bogg? And I thought you were a respectable man!" He moaned loud. "What right have you to hurt a poor peddler only trying to make a living selling his wares? It's so easy for you rich ones, isn't it? You just step on us like we are cockroaches! Is this the kind of violence you show at home? No wonder your son runs off to the seedy villages and your daughter feels unloved!"

Joanna felt sympathy for the man and went to help him up. Jeremiah held her back.

"You cannot pull tricks on me. Anyone here that knows me also knows my nature and my family!" He knelt down with a fire in his eyes.

"You just stay away from me and what's mine!"

Jeremiah stood up before he felt tempted to kick a man when he was down. He grabbed Joanna's hand and stormed away from the square. He secured her on the carriage seat and jumped up, grabbing the reigns. He looked firm at his daughter.

"Joanna, I do not want you to go anywhere near that man! He is a liar and a con artist and he has bad intentions to hurt you. Do you remember what your mother and I told you about strangers?"

Joanna nodded and looked back. Gavin was packing up his wagon and stared in her direction. He gave Joanna a small, reassuring smile and she returned it. She looked back at her father.

"Yes Papa…I won't talk…anymore…I'm sorry."

Jeremiah kissed her head. She always had a way of calming him, just like her mother. He held her hand.

"Thank you sweetheart. I only want you to be safe. You and your brother. Let's go home, it's almost time for dinner."

-O-

Kayla didn't expect much gratitude from Captain Bogg, but she felt slighted when he never came back to at least acknowledge her help. The man looked like he had many important things on his mind at the moment anyway, most likely dealing with the crooked Marina owners. She finished sweeping the threshold of the bakery and locked up tight. She went to the small room the Samsons provided for her in the back of the bakery and lay down on her small bed. Kayla wondered if the Bogg family had gotten over their squabbles and how Phineas was faring since her departure. A surge of tears hit her. Tomorrow Sonora would not be home, and Jeremiah would be working on his ship, it would be a perfect opportunity to visit Phineas.

_'I hope he doesn't hate me!'_ She thought.

She didn't know what she would say or do, but maybe she could try to explain more about the omni and Voyagers. He was so thrilled by those concepts. "Maybe I shouldn't…and let things happen the way they happen!" She decided. Her last thoughts before she drifted to sleep were that _maybe_ there was still a chance for her love and happiness with Phineas here and now.

-O-

_**May 14**__**th,**__** 1709**_

Breakfast at the Bogg Manor was silent, except for the clinking of forks to plates and an occasional loud chewing of the bread and ham. Phineas had been punished for the last three days, he was not allowed off the grounds of the manor for one week. His spirit was restless. Vinchenzo was not exempt either, after his work he was to go straight back to his quarters at the manor. Phineas looked at his mother, the hurt and disappointment in her eyes were tearing him apart. He was about to speak up when she did.

"Phineas, I must attend Eliza Jameson's tea party this afternoon and will be gone until the early evening. I would like it if you and Vinchenzo kept an eye on Joanna."

Phineas looked at her, then back at his eggs. "Yes, mother. I'll watch her." He mumbled.

A loud 'NO!' startled everyone at the table. Jeremiah looked up from his map logs at Joanna.

"Excuse me, young lady, that was very rude."

Joanna banged the table with her fork_. "NO!_ I don't like Phinnus…no more! I don't…want him to…watch me!" She forced her words out and they were very clear.

Sonora gave her a sharp look. "You have to stay with your brother. This nonsense of you not speaking to one another must stop." She looked hard at Phineas. "And _you_ must apologize to your sister, and don't tell me _for what_, either!"

Phineas threw down his utensils. "Okay, Joanna, I'm sorry I broke your doll, alright?"

Jeremiah shook his head. "That was the most insincere apology I've ever heard. When you really mean it, then you will say it. Not another word about this, and you _are_ going to watch your sister today, you _and _Vinchenzo. I have to make sure my ship is loaded with the right supplies and that inventory could take all day. No nonsense while I am gone, do you understand me?"

"Yes, papa."

_'The maids would probably tell on me either way.'_ He thought.

After his parents left the manor, Phineas and Joanna stood in the drawing room and faced each other.

"Look, Joanna, you don't get in my way, and I won't get in your way. I don't need you hanging around me all day. Just stay out of trouble and do not go near the old well or by the beach alone." Phineas insisted.

Joanna looked at him surprised, holding back her tears. Gavin was right; Phineas hated her. She stomped her foot and ran away from him outside. Phineas forced himself not to chase her. He was sorry for being mean; he was just so frustrated with everything going on. He missed Kayla terrible and wanted to see her again. He made a vow that as soon as his punishment was over he was going to find her, no matter how long it took.

-O-

The day dragged on and Phineas and Vinchenzo spent a few hours playing cards and sulking around with bitter complaints. Phineas would peek at Joanna from time to time and noticed how she kept herself busy. She set up a blanket and a few stuffed animals and dolls. She was holding a tea party with real desserts and cranberry tea. He laughed when he remembered how he had been present at these parties, sometimes play-acting silly characters with outlandish hats and costumes. He was tempted to join her, but his pride got the best of him again. He threw the deck of cards onto the floor.

"Hey man! What is this? A new game?" Vinchenzo asked.

"Yes, it's called forty-eight pick up. I'm done with cards. I can't stand being in this house for one more second!"

"It's not _that_ bad Phineas."

"Oh yes it is, what would you know? At least you got out to do some work on the ship, I have been a prisoner here for three days!"

"And you will be prisoner for the next four, the week is not up. Why don't you forget all this nonsense, apologize to your sister and try to win back your parent's favor?"

Phineas paced the room, unaware of the wagon pulling up outside. It parked under a great Oak tree and its driver came down, moving stealthily toward the garden.

"It's not just that Vinchenzo, I've been thinking about…"

"Her…_Kayla."_ His friend interrupted. "Usually you have gotten over your fancies by now, but she's different, right?"

Phineas picked up the cards and shuffled again. "Different isn't the word, there is something so_ exotic,_ mysterious about her! It's like she is bound up with secrets that she's afraid to tell me. Well I want to know! I want to know everything! I'll be darned if I spend my life like this stupid knave!"

Phineas pulled out the lowest valued card of the deck and tossed it on the table. Vinchenzo got up with a stretch.

"Remember what she told you my friend, you were meant to be a hero to all. I would take her word for it. Now, Hai fame!, let's go raid the kitchen, aye?"

-O-

Kayla stood at the giant gates with trembling hands. She knew that neither Sonora nor Jeremiah were home now. She took a breath and walked in, seeing they had been left wide open. As she made her way up the path she noticed Gavin's wagon pulling away. She ran as fast as she could and saw Joanna's doll tossed on the ground and her picnic blanket disturbed. The back door of the wagon was ajar and when it pulled out she saw the terrified little girl within.

Joanna had been too afraid to scream when Gavin threatened her with his blade. He had enticed her to go inside and she foolishly obeyed, only to be pushed into a cage fit for an animal. She yanked and pulled on the bars, but they would not budge open. She saw a woman running toward her just as the wagon rode off. It was Kayla. Her confidence was restored and she shrieked and yelled. The wagon rumbled faster away.

"Help! _Help! Phinnus! _Vinny!…Kayla!…_Help me! Phinnus!"_

Kayla tried to lunge for the back of the wagon, but she landed in the grass. She jumped up and ran faster, grabbing onto the door. She forced herself inside and banged into the cage. She grabbed Joanna's hand.

"Don't worry! I'll help you! I'll get you out!" However, she saw no way to open the cage.

Phineas and Vinchenzo heard the screams and dropped their dishes, racing outside the manor. The wagon rumbled down the road toward the coast.

"Quick! Get the horses! It's the peddler, he has my sister!"

The boys jumped on the first two horses in the stable, unconcerned with saddles and comforts. They galloped the steeds in the direction of the wagon.

"Phineas!_ Look!" _Vinchenzo yelled.

Kayla stuck her head out of the wagon. "Help us! Phineas! _Help us!_ I can't get her out!"

Gavin finally realized all the commotion behind him, but he couldn't stop the wagon. He whipped at his horses and they ran faster, passing another horse and rider on the road. Jeremiah Bogg reared his horse and turned at the sound of his daughter's cries for help.

"Damn you, Gavin!"

Phineas and Vinchenzo soon caught up to their father's horse. Jeremiah pulled closer to the driver's seat of the wagon and threw himself on top of Gavin. The surprised peddler didn't have a chance to struggle and they both fell off into a damp knoll. Vinchenzo pulled in closer at Phineas' signal and jumped onto the seat. He grappled for the reigns to control the horses. Phineas jumped into the back of the wagon. He landed on top of an astonished Kayla and kissed her hastily.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too! Forget that! Get your sister!"

Joanna reached out to her brother and he clasped her hand, and stroked the tears from her red cheeks. He drew a large 'J' over his heart.

"I love you, Joanna!"

-O-

John Henry and Regina appeared on a rocky cliff, with not a moment to waste. They saw Dwight Roache waiting on the bend of the road, holding a stick of dynamite.

"Headquarters put us right on the mark! So that's how the varmint did it! C'mon babe!_ Hurry!"_

The Voyagers ran off the rocks toward him. Dwight looked at his watch – any second now he would toss it. He heard the pounding hooves and raised his match to light the stick. John Henry flew into Dwight and they tumbled on the ground. The dynamite was already lit and Regina stamped on the fuse in the moist grass until it fizzled out.

Dwight was enraged. "No! You fools! You're going to ruin everything!_ No!"_

"Shut up, man! We're not going to let you or Lorna ruin anything ever again!"

The wagon turned the bend and Vinchenzo reared the horses. Inside, Joanna gave her brother a hairpin and he jimmied the lock until it was sprung open. She fell into his arms. The wagon slowed down very near to the edge of the cliff. Phineas jumped out and helped his sister and Kayla down. He knelt down and hugged Joanna as he never had before. He kissed her head and cried with her. She held his face in her hands.

"Thank…you…Phinnu..Phine…_Phineas!" _She managed to say his name as exact as her voice would allow. Phineas looked at her heartfelt, cherubic face and cried even more.

"Please forgive me! _Forgive me! _I'm sorry I hurt you! _I love you!"_

Dwight fought hard against John Henry, but he was no match for the large cowboy. John Henry gave him a solid punch in the jaw and knocked him out. He tossed him over his shoulder. John Henry stood near his wife and they watched the scene from a distance with lumps in their throats. There was no need to prolong their stay. Regina put her hands over her eyes and squinted.

"John…oh my god! Do you see who that is? It's her! Your cousin!"

"What? It can't be Kayla? I…" John Henry moved in for a closer inspection and gasped. "You're right! It's her, younger for sure, but dang! So that's where she went!" He laughed.

"Oh, are those two going to have some stories to share when all this gets cleared up!" Regina laughed. She grabbed his hand and they disappeared unnoticed.

Kayla pulled out her omni; a queer feeling enveloped her body. She opened it and the omni worked. Phineas stood up ecstatic when he heard the sound of the bell from her brass device. He glanced down at the dials.

_"A green light!_ Is that good? It sounds good! Kayla what does it all mean?"

Kayla looked at him and smiled. "It means, everything is okay and we'll see each other again in the future! I promise you, Phineas!"

"The future! But you're here!" He grasped her hands and kissed them, then kissed her lips. "You're here with me now and you are not going to leave me again! I love you! We will be married! My family will certainly approve!" He beamed.

Kayla stuttered, her eyes filled with tears. "No, Phineas, it's…it's not going to be like this…"

_"Phineas! _Your father needs help!" Vinchenzo shouted. Phineas turned to his friend.

Kayla's gentle kiss brushed his cheek, and she pulled her hands away. When Phineas looked back to her, she had vanished.

-O-

Voyager Headquarters remanded Dwight and Lorna without a trial. As soon as the council convened next, they would be banished forever. Voyager Drake disappeared from his holding cell, and Voyager Olivia Dunne reappeared to find Headquarters in a chaotic state.

"I don't get it Joe, one minute I'm eating lunch with you in the picnic area and the next minute I'm here…"

"Don't worry Liv, c'mon, I'm starving, we'll talk all about it."

"Starving? Didn't you like the roast beef sandwich I made you?"

Joseph Howell held his head and laughed at her confusion. As soon as things calmed down here, he was going to call an emergency meeting of Pioneer. His expression darkened. Even though Lorna and Drake were gone, there were other Paradox crew members out there and they would no doubt regroup to cause more havoc. He forced a bright smile for Olivia before she realized something was wrong.

"Yeah, but, I got a huge appetite, Liv."

"Figures! Let's eat then, for some reason, I'm hungry too. And Joe, don't lie to me about my cooking. I know it's terrible." Olivia kissed his cheek. "But I can learn."

"I know you can, because you're brilliant." Joe gazed at her and smiled. He put an arm around her waist._ 'Let's just take it one victory at a time.'_ He thought, and they piled up their trays with a big meal.

-O-

John Henry and Regina ran to the OCC to find Bobby and his crew picking up the remains of the Omnibus. The center was slowly being restored. The Voyagers couldn't contain their excitement. John Henry pointed out the substitute Omnibus.

"We did it! Look at that, green lights across the board! Phineas Bogg and Jeffrey Jones are back in action!" John Henry grabbed the communicator and pushed a few buttons. "This is Voyager 18…_Aww hell!_ How ya doin' Saunders?"

Young Jeremy Saunders gentle voice crackled over the communicator.

"Hey John! Mice ta hear rom ya! Sorry…I'm eafing…_eating!" _They heard a deep swallow. "_Nice to hear from you!_ What's up?"

Everyone in the OCC smiled. "Aww, nothing, just checking in…so, how's married life been treating you?"

"Aww man, swell, just_ swell! _Kirstie is a doll, she's decided to use her knack for fashion and design clothing. I tell ya, lately I've been looking pretty sharp. Hey, tell Joseph and Phineas when you see them that I got the coding issue licked! The rest of you guys can all have the code locks on your omnis by next week, but you have to come down and let me install it here, okay? Don't forget. You guys always make me and Kayla the villain when you forget yor appointments and we have to track you down."

"Okay, okay. I'll keep them in line for you. They'll be there."

"So, is Kayla back from Quintana Roo with Phineas and Jeff yet? Did I miss anything vital? For a minute there my mini Omnibus just kinda fizzed out, I couldn't get a read on anything, but it's back like new."

John Henry looked at his wife and Bobby and they all sighed. "When Kayla comes back we'll have dinner and tell you everything, otherwise, things are just peachy."

"Great! Oh, I gotta go, I can't miss Lucy!"

"Okay man, talk to ya soon."

John Henry clicked off with tears in his eyes and Regina rubbed his back. He finally felt like he had done something right, he felt like a true Voyager again. Bobby came up to him with a stack of marble notebooks.

"These were left behind by Jeffrey, remember, VHQ is a safe haven. He even added more notes about Professor Saunders, his aunt and uncle and what happened here. He said to give them to the other Jeffrey as a souvenir, and then he was gone…just like that. It honestly disturbed me a bit." Bobby looked down sadly.

John Henry grasped the books. "Don't you worry, he'll be back for sure and I'll make sure he gets them."

-O-

**Quintana Roo**

"Hey guys! I think I found the entrance! You were right, Bogg! There's a hidden lever behind some vines and shrubs, come look!"

Phineas was absorbed in staring at the ocean waves crashing along the rocks. He blinked out of his stupor and perked his head up.

"Alright Jeff! I knew you could find it! Let's go see, hon!"

He gripped Kayla's small hand and his fingers brushed over the teardrop diamond engagement ring he gave her right before the vacation. Upon becoming a Voyager, Phineas did not remember when Kayla was in his time line when he was nineteen. However, when his memories of his past came back to him after he met little Kayla and Artie, so did his memories of that fateful week. He vividly recalled her stay at the manor and the love that had grown between them.

Phineas kept it all to himself, because this Kayla had no such recollections. However, it was a challenge to explain to his family _and_ Kayla when they met her at Vinchenzo's wedding. After he and his father talked matters through, Phineas decided that Kayla was his one and only. He truly loved her. There was a bond between them that survived throughout all time.

"Phineas, are you okay? You seemed a little spaced out before, I almost thought you were going to jump off the cliff." Kayla said alarmed.

Phineas kissed her hand. "No. I mean…whatever it was, passed. I'm fine, but I won't be if we don't get to Jeffrey."

Kayla laughed and kissed him. "I love you, Phineas Bogg. I always have, I always will."

Phineas smiled. She said the exact words to him at nineteen. "I know you do, Kayla, and I love you. That is one thing that will never change, no matter what."

-O-

**One week later, Breezy Point, England. 1709  
**

"Bogg, are you sure that's the right one?"

Phineas touched the dark, curled hair and ran his fingers over the smooth porcelain. He put the doll back into the box with a satisfied smile. The shopkeeper tied it up with a green, velvet ribbon.

"I'm positive Jeffrey, I could never forget Rebecca. She was my first wife you know. At every tea-party Joanna ever held, I would show up arm in arm with her."

Jeffrey laughed as they exited the toyshop and found a private area to make their disappearance.

"I cannot imagine you at a little girl's tea party…_ever!"_

"Hey, don't sell me so short. I did a lot for my sister. C'mon, let's get back to 1715."

"Too bad you can't go back to her now and give it to her."

"Are you kidding? That would scare her to death, and I'd be tempted to punch my own face, that brat he was!" Phineas said with angry regret. "I mean I was."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, remember? You were all confused and hurt that day. She forgave you and you apologized."

Phineas tousled Jeffrey's hair. "Yeah, but not right away, and I could have lost her…" Phineas held back a sudden urge to cry for his beloved sister. _"Ahh, _c'mon kid. After this visit home Kayla told me to come right back to the OCC. She said there was a lot of big news to discuss. She sounded kinda…I don't know…_shocked _about it all, but she wouldn't tell me anything over the communicator. Apparently Headquarters was waiting for the right time to tell us this news."

Jeffrey grabbed his arm. "You think it's anything serious?"

"_Nahh_…After all we went through?" He counted a list on his fingers and rolled his eyes confident. "South Street Seaport, Aunt Jemima, The French Revolution, meeting my family again, becoming leader of the Pioneer group, The Brooklyn Bridge…"

Phineas gave a big shrug and grin. "What could have possibly went wrong now?"

**The End.**

**To be concluded in the exciting story, 'The Voyager's Aide Finale: A road not taken'  
**


End file.
